PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Doadi Rafi Meldir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rivero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meldir comes to the cage accompanied by Khala Ya Khala. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Rafi Meldir
vs
Rivero

193 cm
23
207 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

184 cm
20
213 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Doadi Rafi Meldir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rivero!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left and a right from Meldir both land. Nice combination.
Meldir swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rivero darts in and clinches Meldir up against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Meldir scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rivero lands a shot to the body.
Meldir using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rivero has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Meldir wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Rivero breaks from the clinch.
A combination from Meldir does no damage.
Rivero tries to close the distance and clinch up but Meldir swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Crunch! Meldir slams his shin into Rivero's torso.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Meldir closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rivero to the mat! Rivero manages to get full guard.
Rivero looks gassed!
Rivero is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Meldir has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rivero is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meldir tries to free his leg and advance position but Rivero is retaining full guard.
Rivero doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Meldir stopping the sweep attempt from Rivero.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Meldir gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Meldir rushes Rivero and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rivero is looking to control Meldir's arms but Meldir gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rivero has his back to the cage.
Meldir can't break the clinch.

Meldir breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rivero closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Meldir to the mat! Meldir manages to get full guard.

Meldir working for a triangle but Rivero defends it easily.
Meldir wants to stand but Rivero is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meldir 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.
Rivero wants to control from the top but Meldir keeps moving.

Rivero stands and steps away. Meldir gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Meldir throws a series of punches but Rivero moves out of range.

Rivero gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Meldir loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivero managing to control the position.

Rivero has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Meldir can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meldir won't allow Rivero to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doadi Rafi Meldir 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.

Meldir misses with a takedown attempt

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

Meldir wriggles free and stands up.
Rivero fails in his attempt to clinch.

Meldir closes the distance and clinches.
Meldir is looking to break free of the clinch but Rivero has double underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rivero.
Rivero missing with knees to the body.
Rivero misses with a punch on the inside.
Rivero with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Meldir manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rivero trying to control but Meldir is working from the bottom.
Meldir wants to stand up but Rivero is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meldir 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.
Rivero trying to control the position from guard on top but Meldir is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivero throws a strike but Meldir rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rivero utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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.
Meldir working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Meldir with a flurry of punches that miss.
Meldir trying to control but Rivero is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Meldir accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meldir trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Meldir has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rivero tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rivero is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Meldir chips away with some ground and pound.

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.
Rivero throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Rivero seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Meldir wants to pass the guard but Rivero is keeping the position.
Rivero wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Rivero will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Meldir circles away from the clinch attempt
and Meldir counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Meldir shoots in and bounces Rivero off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Meldir trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rivero's guard.
Meldir pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rivero is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meldir landing some decent shots from guard.
Meldir preventing the sweep.
Meldir pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rivero is keeping the position for now.
Meldir content to stall in guard here.

That's two 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.
Meldir wants to stand but Rivero has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rivero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Meldir tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rivero doesn't manage to clinch there - Meldir circles away.
Meldir with a poor takedown
and Rivero counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meldir thows a leg kick but Rivero checks it

and Rivero counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A hook to the body from Rivero.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rivero is working Meldir over against the cage.

Rivero breaks the clinch.
Doadi Rafi Meldir seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rivero tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rivero moves into the clinch.
Rivero lands a nice shot to the body.
Rivero is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Meldir has had enough of the clinch but Rivero keeps him there for the moment.
Rivero lands an elbow inside that Meldir shrugs off.
Rivero throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rivero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Knees to the body from Rivero.
Rivero landing knees to the body.
Rivero landing knees to the body.
Come on Rivero - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Rivero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Meldir stuffs the takedown attempt from Rivero. Rivero gets slowly back to his feet.
Meldir circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rivero gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rivero.
Meldir can't break the clinch.
Rivero blocks a body shot from Meldir.
Rivero is struggling to control the position.
Meldir has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rivero is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rivero goes for a takedown attempt but Meldir pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Doadi Rafi Meldir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Rivero.
Rivero closes the distance looking to clinch

and Meldir counters by clinching up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rivero prevents Meldir from breaking the clinch.
Meldir connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rivero's face.
Rivero content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Rivero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Rivero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rivero 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Rivero!