PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Henley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buddie Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rivera has chosen My Chemical Romance - I'm Not Okay (I Promise) as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Henley
vs
Rivera

176 cm
23
178 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

186 cm
23
191 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Hellbent

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Henley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Buddie Rivera!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, John Kavanagh and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera scores with a crisp jab that stopped Henley in his tracks.
Henley fails to land with a series of punches.
A decent looking cross lands there for Henley.
Henley definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rivera lands the left hand.
Henley is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rivera.
Rivera has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Henley shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Rivera tries to roll over but Henley keeps him under control.
Rivera looks like he's trying to stand up.
Henley prevents Rivera from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Henley is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rivera is just riding it out for now. Henley eventually gives up the hold.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivera is looking to control Henley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rivera avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Rivera is looking to control Henley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rivera avoid being mounted?
Rivera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henley.

Henley is working for a submission of some sort.
Henley not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rivera manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rivera is pulling down on Henley's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rivera controls Henley momentarily but Henley frees himself.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Buddie Rivera wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rivera swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Henley.
Henley sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivera cracks Henley with an open hand slap.
Rivera throws a hook but Henley blocks it.
Rivera dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Henley. That did some damage!
Buddie Rivera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Henley avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Henley keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rivera lands a glancing blow to the side of Henley's head.
Rivera slips a straight right by Henley.
Rivera throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Henley throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
An inside leg kick lands from Rivera.
Rivera cracks Henley with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Henley loads up on a big right hand but Rivera slips the punch.
Henley is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rivera.

Henley shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Henley was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Henley in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Henley working the ground and pound.
Rivera tries to buck Henley off but Henley is having none of it.
Rivera wants to control but Henley postures up.
Henley is working Rivera over with some ground and pound from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rivera tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rivera struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Henley drops an elbow to the side of Rivera's head.
Henley is looking to advance position but Rivera won't allow it.
Rivera is trying to maintain the position but Henley is very close to passing his half guard.
Rivera might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Henley haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Henley is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rivera keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Henley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rivera trying to control but Henley postures up.
Rivera is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Buddie Rivera will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Henley misses with a looping left.
Henley throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rivera has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Henley tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rivera defends well and Henley ends up having to push Rivera into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rivera.
Rivera can't find room to land a body shot as Henley controls the action.
Rivera lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rivera missing with knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Henley.
Henley is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rivera gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rivera has Henley pressed against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rivera creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Rivera as the two fighters clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rivera lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Henley backwards.
Henley blocking some punches.
Rivera lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Henley prevents a body shot from Rivera.
Rivera swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rivera using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Rivera scores with a nice short uppercut.
Henley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Henley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivera lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Rivera fails to land.
Rivera tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Henley's elbow.
Rivera lands an elbow inside.
Rivera throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rivera working aggressively here.
Rivera holding his opponent close, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rivera creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rivera throws a punch but it's blocked by Henley.
Rivera misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rivera swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rivera digs a right hand underneath Henley's ribcage. Henley let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rivera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Henley's elbow.
Henley blocks a body shot from Rivera.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rivera working aggressively here.
Henley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Henley prevents a body shot from Rivera.
Henley can't get the takedown.
Rivera lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Henley avoiding damage as Rivera throws knees to the body.
Henley being controlled against the cage.
Henley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rivera misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera effectively controlling the action here.
Good body shot from Rivera.
Rivera stops a takedown attempt from Henley.
Rivera scores with a shoulder strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Rivera.
Rivera presses Henley against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivera lands a right hand that snaps the head of Henley backwards.
Rivera stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rivera tries to throw a body punch but Henley avoids it by throwing Rivera back against the cage.
Henley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buddie Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Henley staying out of range there.
Henley takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Henley staying out of range there.
Henley with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rivera to score with a decent uppercut.
Henley misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rivera misses with a body shot.
Henley uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rivera.
Henley fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rivera manages to avoid it.
Henley throws a lazy uppercut
and Rivera connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Henley misses with a looping right.

Henley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rivera is not content to let Henley control the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Henley.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Rivera struggling a bit here.
Henley has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rivera is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Henley thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rivera regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rivera keeping full guard, as Henley tries to pass.
Rivera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Henley is looking to work some ground and pound but Rivera has wrist control.
Rivera is trying to control the position but Henley postures up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rivera keeping full guard, as Henley tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Buddie Rivera.
Henley steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rivera.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rivera throws a body punch but Henley moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Henley.
Henley uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rivera.
Good exchange - Rivera coming out on top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rivera misses with a wild body shot.
Rivera goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rivera misses with a looping right.
Rivera throws a lazy right hand but Henley sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rivera misses the shot to the body.
Rivera ducks under a wild hook from Henley.
Rivera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rivera uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Henley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henley shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rivera is trying to defend but Henley finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Henley looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rivera with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rivera moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rivera controls Henley momentarily but Henley frees himself.
Rivera pulls Henley in close to prevent any damage.
Henley postures up and lands a big shot to Rivera's brow.
Henley postures up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Henley's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rivera seems keen to control Henley's posture.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Henley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera trying to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Buddie Rivera hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rivera moves away from the strike by Henley.
Henley takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Henley throws a shot from downtown. Rivera moves away and avoids it.
Henley tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rivera swivels and escapes.
Rivera goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rivera works the jab nicely.
Ben Henley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henley throws a right hand that Rivera ducks under and follows up with a left that Rivera also avoids with ease.
Henley takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A jab from Henley misses.
Rivera ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buddie 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buddie Rivera!
Buddie Rivera seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.