PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Raydune (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stan Rivers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raydune's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Closer. Rivers is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Cyco Vision. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Raydune
vs
Rivers

164 cm
20
130 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

182 cm
21
135 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Raydune!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stan Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, William Peck and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivers cracks Raydune with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rivers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Raydune takes one to the chin there.
Raydune throws a head kick that misses
and Rivers counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A lazy left from Rivers finds it's target.
Raydune tries to clinch up but Rivers circles away and keeps his distance.
Rivers slaps away a takedown attempt from Raydune, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A left and a right from Rivers both land. Nice combination.

Raydune fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rivers sprawls well initially but Raydune persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Raydune is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Raydune controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers is trying to maintain the position but Raydune is very close to passing his half guard.
Rivers is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Still in half guard, Raydune seems content to control.
Raydune trying to control the action but Rivers is working from the bottom.
Rivers wants to get back to his feet.
Raydune is taking a breather. Rivers says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

We're going to have a standup here because Joe Raydune wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Raydune shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rivers but Rivers pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rivers closes the distance and clinches.
Rivers blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rivers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rivers misses with a jab, cross combination.
Raydune scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Raydune moves in looking to clinch but Rivers pushes him off.
Raydune tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Rivers as Raydune shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Raydune. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivers delivers a nice body kick.
Raydune tries to clinch up
and Rivers counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Raydune fails to land with a series of punches.
Rivers connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raydune tries to clinch but Rivers is having none of it.
Rivers tries to bum rush Raydune with a series of wild strikes but Raydune uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Raydune swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rivers counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rivers is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Rivers lands with a hook. Raydune tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jab from Rivers.
Rivers thumps Raydune with a low kick.
Raydune shoots in looking for a takedown but Rivers manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Raydune's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rivers stuffs the takedown.
Rivers has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Raydune has closed the distance and engaged Rivers in a clinch.
Raydune displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rivers up against the cage.
Rivers landing knees to the head.
Raydune trying to land knees to the body.
Raydune is stalling here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Raydune decides to pull guard.
Raydune has a closed guard, preventing Rivers from standing up.

Rivers gets to his feet - Raydune follows without any prompting.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Raydune clinches up with Rivers and pushes him back against the cage.
Rivers is trying to break the clinch but Raydune is controlling him.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Rivers is looking to break free of the clinch but Raydune has double underhooks.
Stalling in the clinch from Raydune.

Rivers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivers changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raydune has a takedown stuffed.
Rivers lands with a shot to the body.
Raydune is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Stan Rivers will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rivers thows a body kick. Raydune tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Raydune fails to land the takedown.
Rivers throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rivers turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Joe Raydune seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raydune tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rivers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Raydune throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rivers counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Raydune tries to clinch but Rivers is having none of it.
Joe Raydune is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rivers throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raydune.
Raydune wants to clinch but Rivers slips to the side
and Rivers counters with a big head kick but Raydune shrugs it off.
Raydune missing with a left hand there. Rivers was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Raydune is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivers lands a jab-cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raydune fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rivers lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rivers throws a nice head kick!
Raydune closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Rivers to counter with a crisp jab.
A thudding body kick lands there by Raydune!
Stan Rivers seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Raydune instigates a clinch.
Rivers tries to circle away but Raydune has him pinned against the cage.
Nice elbow from Rivers.
Raydune keeps control of Rivers as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rivers looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rivers is trying to push Raydune away but Raydune has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Raydune jumps guard and drags Rivers to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raydune utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rivers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rivers won't allow Raydune to sweep him here.
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!
Rivers is pushing down on Raydune's leg trying to pass to half guard. Raydune is fighting to maintain full guard but Rivers has managed to sneak the leg through.
Raydune has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rivers is working away from the top position though.
Rivers wants to get back to his feet.
Raydune might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rivers throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Raydune to regain full guard.
Raydune has a closed guard, preventing Rivers from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers throws a big elbow that misses.
Raydune keeping moving, preventing Rivers from controlling successfully.
Rivers looking to pass the guard.

Rivers got a little sloppy there for a moment and Raydune has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rivers has managed to get both his arms back between Raydune's legs - danger averted.

Raydune is working an open guard so Rivers takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Raydune tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rivers sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Raydune somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Raydune. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raydune tries to clinch but Rivers moves away
and Rivers counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Raydune doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivers circles away.
Raydune tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raydune shoots in but no luck this time.
Raydune is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rivers scores with a jab. Raydune acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Raydune tries to clinch up.
Raydune tries to clinch but Rivers moves out of range.
Raydune shoots in but no luck this time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Raydune is defended easily by Rivers.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raydune moves to clinch but Rivers breaks away
and Rivers connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raydune misses with a double jab
and Rivers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raydune closes the distance but Rivers moves to the side
and Rivers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Rivers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Raydune takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Raydune is looking to clinch but Rivers is avoiding it.
Raydune takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rivers tests Raydune's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A punch lands to the side of Rivers 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Raydune closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Raydune is keen to just control but Rivers is a slippery customer.
Rivers wants to get back to full guard.
Raydune wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rivers keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Raydune sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rivers defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raydune with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Raydune stops Rivers from getting back to his feet.
Rivers moves into full guard.
Rivers is looking to stand back up but Raydune counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Rivers.
Raydune controlling the pace.
Rivers looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raydune is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Raydune is trying to control. Rivers wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rivers tries to kick Raydune off but Raydune keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rivers is looking to improve his position.

We're going to have a standup here because Joe Raydune wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rivers scores with a head kick.
Raydune loads up on a big right hand but Rivers slips the punch.
Raydune fails in his attempt to clinch.
Raydune fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Raydune will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Raydune showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rivers.

Raydune fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rivers, pushing him back against the cage.
Raydune misses with some punches.

Rivers breaks from the clinch.
Raydune tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivers swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raydune tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rivers gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Raydune tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rivers just leaning against Raydune, taking a breather.
Raydune can't find room to land a body shot as Rivers controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers tries to circle away but Raydune has him pinned against the cage.
Rivers tries to stall but Raydune uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Raydune is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rivers to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Raydune. That's going to take a lot out of him.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Raydune just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rivers's brow.
Raydune is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rivers is defending well.
Raydune tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rivers smiles and moves away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jab from Rivers.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raydune doesn't manage to clinch there - Rivers circles away.
Joe Raydune has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raydune tries to clinch up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivers lands a high kick!
Stan Rivers is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Raydune clinches up with Rivers and pushes him back against the cage.
Rivers lands a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joe Raydune.
I think Rivers has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!