PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mountain Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sukro Lesmono (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rivera
vs
Lesmono

197 cm
40
274 lbs
22 - 66 - 0

185 cm
19
267 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 66 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mountain Rivera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sukro Lesmono!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rivera shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lesmono is trying to defend but Rivera finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rivera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lesmono's head.
Rivera perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rivera will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lesmono tries to kick Rivera off but Rivera keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rivera not doing much here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivera controlling the action here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rivera connects with a nice short shot to Lesmono's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesmono moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rivera 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 intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rivera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rivera slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lesmono preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rivera not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rivera seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lesmono for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rivera postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Lesmono is trying to control the position but Rivera postures up.
Lesmono is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rivera throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Lesmono manages to pass to side control.
Rivera is trying to get back to half guard.
Rivera is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivera takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rivera can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesmono working the ground and pound but Rivera is defending the strikes.

Lesmono thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rivera controls the position for a moment.
Rivera is trying to control Lesmono's posture but Lesmono avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rivera tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lesmono wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Lesmono tries for a kimura but Rivera is defending well.
Lesmono wants to control but Rivera is keeping him busy.
Rivera sneaks back into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rivera trying to control from the bottom.
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 Mountain 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!

Lesmono shoots for a double leg takedown but Rivera sprawls well. He's pushed Lesmono's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lesmono closes the distance and clinches up with Rivera, looking for a takedown. Lesmono pushes Rivera against the cage but Rivera circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rivera.
We've been informed that Lesmono has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Lesmono shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rivera but Rivera pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mountain Rivera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sukro Lesmono.

Rivera takes the fight into the clinch.

Rivera has picked Lesmono up - he's going for a ride! Rivera dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Rivera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lesmono's head.
Rivera lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera is controlling the pace.

Rivera decides to return to a standing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivera has Lesmono up against the cage in a clinch.
Rivera lands a knee to the body.

Rivera is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Lesmono can't fight it off and eventually Rivera manages to take the fight to the floor. Lesmono looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rivera landing some decent shots from guard.
Rivera is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is looking to work some ground and pound but Lesmono has wrist control.

Lesmono escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rivera gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rivera loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rivera sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rivera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rivera is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rivera throwing strikes but missing.
Rivera is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lesmono trying to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Lesmono tries to sprawl but Rivera drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Lesmono has hold of Rivera's hands but Rivera slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rivera is thwarting Lesmono's attempts to control the position.
Rivera prevents Lesmono from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rivera is working for a kimura here but Lesmono manages to reverse the position and he's now in Rivera's guard.
Rivera pulls Lesmono in close to prevent any damage.
Lesmono trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rivera avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lesmono throwing strikes from guard but Rivera blocks nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rivera has his hands on Lesmono's head, controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mountain Rivera dominated that second round.
That's time! Rivera's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lesmono tries for a takedown but Rivera circles away easily

and Rivera holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Rivera breaks from the clinch.
Rivera throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lesmono's waist but Lesmono gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rivera off to one side.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lesmono enables Rivera to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lesmono manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Mountain Rivera overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lesmono is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lesmono controlling Rivera's posture.
Rivera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivera stays in close to Lesmono's body and controls the position.
Rivera throwing strikes from guard but Lesmono blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lesmono bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rivera's guard.

Rivera has his hands on Lesmono's head, controlling the position.
Lesmono throwing strikes but missing.
Lesmono won't allow Rivera to sweep him here.
Lesmono trying to control the position from guard on top but Rivera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lesmono preventing the sweep.

Rivera looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lesmono preventing the sweep.
Rivera keeping moving, preventing Lesmono from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
No luck for Rivera with that takedown attempt.
Lesmono shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rivera defends it nicely.

Rivera rushes Lesmono and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Lesmono takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rivera slows the pace down.
Sukro Lesmono has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rivera cracks Lesmono with a big elbow.

Rivera looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Lesmono is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rivera connects with a decent elbow.
Lesmono defending against the ground and pound.
Rivera controls the position from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is trying to ground and pound but Lesmono uses the momentary lack of control by Rivera to regain half guard.
Mountain Rivera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rivera decides to return to a standing position.
Lesmono leaves Rivera with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mountain Rivera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lesmono fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A low kick from Lesmono misses
and Rivera counters with a nice body kick.
Lesmono ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rivera moves away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lesmono enables Rivera to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lesmono manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rivera is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mountain Rivera showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rivera has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mountain Rivera!