PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gator Bait (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Riviere (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riviere comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Le Vagabond kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bait
vs
Riviere

186 cm
23
202 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

191 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gator Bait!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Riviere!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riviere looks to land a body kick but Bait moved away.
Bait throws a push kick but Riviere slaps the foot to one side.
Jean Riviere seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riviere motions for Bait to come forward. Riviere throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Bait closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Bait is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Bait working over Riviere with some ground and pound. Riviere looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Bait controlling the action here.
Bait throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riviere taking some punishment here, with Bait in his half guard.
Bait wants to control but Riviere is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bait is taking a breather. Riviere 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.
Riviere won't allow Bait to pass to mount.
Riviere is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bait trying to control the pace.
Riviere avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Riviere keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Riviere really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bait. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bait prevents Riviere from improving his position.
Bait trying to mount his opponent but Riviere defends it.
Riviere is refusing to be controlled, as Bait sits in half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Riviere slips a jab from Bait.
Riviere connects with the punch.
Riviere lands an overhand right.
Bait connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A low kick from Riviere is predictable there

and Bait counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bait stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riviere swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Riviere working for a triangle but Bait defends it easily.
Riviere can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bait controls the pace.
Bait 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.
Riviere looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Bait puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Riviere tries to roll over but Bait keeps him under control.
Riviere is refusing to be controlled, as Bait sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Riviere wants to improve his position but Bait is controlling well.
Bait scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Riviere trying to control here.
Bait missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Riviere regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Bait.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riviere working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bait.
Bait in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gator Bait 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.

Riviere uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bait.
Bait pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bait moves out of range of the strikes.
Riviere throws the kick towards the body but Bait avoids it.
Riviere lands with an overhand left.
Bait takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Riviere misses with a kick to the body.
Riviere throws a lazy head kick
and Bait cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Riviere. Those never looked like landing.
Riviere scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Riviere digs a good hook to Bait's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Riviere misses.
Riviere connects with a right hand. Bait shakes it off.
Bait is looking to clinch but Riviere is avoiding it.
A cross from Riviere lands.
Riviere tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bait was well out of range. Poor timing from Riviere.
Riviere throws an overhand right that lands on Bait's shoulder, as Bait tries to avoid the shot.
Bait with a hook.
Riviere pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Danga de danga de dang - Riviere scores with a four punch combination!
Riviere uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bait.
Riviere lands with a nice body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviere blocks a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Riviere throws a leg kick that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Riviere. Those never looked like landing.
Bait misses with a kick to the body.
Jean Riviere is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Riviere throws a jab when Bait was well out of range.
Riviere tries to land a body kick
and Bait counters with a solid body kick.
Riviere throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bait on the side of the head.
Bait falls off balance throwing a combination
and Riviere makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bait really felt that one!
Bait lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Riviere circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riviere throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Riviere throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bait showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Riviere.
Jean Riviere seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bait dodges the punch combination from Riviere.
Riviere tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bait was well out of range. Poor timing from Riviere.
Bait drops his hands momentarily and Riviere takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Bait scores with a push kick.
Bait pushes Riviere away with a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riviere fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bait manages to avoid it.
Bait throws a head kick that half lands.
Bait scores with a one two! Riviere had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Riviere connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bait's hands.
Riviere steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Bait. That one must have hurt.
Riviere is breathing heavily.
Bait throws a head kick that misses.
Danga de danga de dang - Riviere scores with a four punch combination!
Gator Bait is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riviere lands a jab to the head.
Riviere throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bait moves out of range as Riviere strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Riviere showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bait tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bait misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Riviere.
Riviere tries to land a front kick but Bait steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A cross from Riviere lands.
Riviere throws a leg kick but Bait checks it.
Riviere throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Riviere misses with a two punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bait just misses with a punch to the body.
Riviere throws the kick towards the body but Bait avoids it.
Bait throws a head kick that misses.
Riviere misses with an uppercut
and Bait counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Riviere, as that shot connected.
Riviere throws a head kick that misses.
Riviere throws a lazy uppercut
and Bait counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Bait closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Riviere takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bait is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Riviere is trying to control but can't.

Bait seems to be looking for submissions.
Riviere is not content to let Bait control the position.
Riviere on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bait is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Riviere reverses the position - he's now on top in Bait's guard.
Riviere seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Bait keeping moving, preventing Riviere from controlling successfully.
Bait wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bait 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.
Bait manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Riviere manages to get himself to full guard.

Bait content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Bait controls from within his opponent's guard.
Riviere keeping moving, preventing Bait from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Riviere can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bait tries to free his leg and advance position but Riviere is retaining full guard.
Riviere preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gator Bait overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bait seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Riviere working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bait.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riviere keeping moving, preventing Bait from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bait checks a low kick from Riviere.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gator Bait showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bait 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gator Bait!