PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Kirilenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Riviera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riviera comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Dirty hous' - Rohff kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Cain Riviera is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Kirilenko
vs
Riviera

195 cm
22
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
19
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Tesla Apparel [Everything $15!]

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Kirilenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Riviera!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kirilenko shoots in for a double leg but Riviera sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kirilenko avoids the body shot from Riviera.
Both fighters circling a little - Riviera finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Kirilenko shoots in but no luck this time.
Riviera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Kirilenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kirilenko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Riviera pinned against the cage. Riviera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kirilenko misses with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirilenko stuns Riviera with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Kirilenko fails with the takedown.
Kirilenko shoots in and drives through. Riviera sprawls well.
Riviera looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirilenko shoots for a takedown but Riviera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A head kick misses from Kirilenko.
Riviera throws a hook but Kirilenko avoids it easily.
Riviera changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown but Riviera sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kirilenko is breathing heavily.
Kirilenko chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Riviera can pounce on him.
Kirilenko tries to clinch there but Riviera circles away.
Kirilenko tries to clinch up.
Riviera throws a leg kick which misses Kirilenko's front leg but catches the back leg as Kirilenko tries to avoid it.
Riviera fails with the takedown.
Kirilenko tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviera shoots for a double leg takedown but Kirilenko sprawls well. He's pushed Riviera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Riviera instigates a clinch.
Riviera lands with a right to the head.
Riviera is trying to break free.
Kirilenko stalling in the clinch but Riviera improves position.
Riviera is trying to break the clinch but Kirilenko has him pressed against the cage.
Riviera has had enough of the clinch but Kirilenko keeps him there for the moment.
Riviera jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kirilenko walks away with a smile on his face. Riviera gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kirilenko misses with a takedown attempt
and Riviera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Kirilenko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Kirilenko.
Kirilenko fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Riviera prevents a takedown attempt there.

Kirilenko ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Kirilenko no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

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

Kirilenko is working an open guard so Riviera takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Riviera fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kirilenko.
Riviera lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Riviera cracks Kirilenko with a good jab.
Nice defenses there by Kirilenko.
Kirilenko with a lazy takedown attempt
and Riviera counters with a nice leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Riviera wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Riviera can't break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko is trying to break the clinch but Riviera has him pressed against the cage.
Riviera is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown. No joy.

Riviera manages to break the clinch.
Riviera lands a glancing blow to the side of Kirilenko's head.
Alexander Kirilenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kirilenko takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Riviera connects with a high kick.
Kirilenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Riviera counters by clinching up.

Riviera successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Riviera pushes Kirilenko off and scrambles back to his feet.
Riviera fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Riviera dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kirilenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kirilenko falls off balance throwing a combination
and Riviera counters with a nice uppercut.
The fighters circling - Riviera throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Riviera shoots for a takedown but Kirilenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Riviera gets the takedown into side control.

Riviera stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Riviera looks to land a combination. Kirilenko sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown but Riviera circles away easily

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riviera looking to pass the guard.
Riviera controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kirilenko keeping moving, preventing Riviera from controlling successfully.
Riviera 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.
Riviera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two 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.
Riviera looking to sit in guard and control but Kirilenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Riviera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Riviera wants to sweep here but Kirilenko controlling him for the moment.
Riviera is trying to keep Kirilenko in close.
Kirilenko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kirilenko fails with the takedown
and Riviera counters with a good low kick that Kirilenko was not able to check.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Kirilenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kirilenko throws a series of punches but Riviera moves out of range.
Nice body kick from Riviera.
Kirilenko throws a body kick the misses
and Riviera counters with a solid body kick.
Riviera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Riviera counters with a big head kick but Kirilenko shrugs it off.
Kirilenko connects with a right hand. Riviera shakes it off.

Riviera darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kirilenko tries to roll over but Riviera keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko is looking to control Riviera's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kirilenko avoid being mounted?
Riviera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kirilenko keeps working.
Riviera tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kirilenko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kirilenko wants to control but Riviera is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Riviera is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kirilenko doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Riviera.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Riviera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kirilenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Riviera counters by clinching up.

Riviera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kirilenko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Riviera as he avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Riviera. No joy for Kirilenko on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Kirilenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riviera misses with a combination

and Kirilenko counters by clinching up.
Kirilenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Riviera tries a body shot but Kirilenko blocks it.
Kirilenko has had enough of the clinch but Riviera keeps him there for the moment.

Riviera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kirilenko is looking to clinch but Riviera is avoiding it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riviera looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Riviera turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kirilenko is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Riviera is looking to clinch.
Riviera stuffs the takedown.
No luck for Kirilenko with that takedown attempt.

Riviera pushes Kirilenko up against the cage in a clinch.
Riviera tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kirilenko smiles and moves away.

Riviera gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riviera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Riviera throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kirilenko's head.
Nice takedown defense from Kirilenko. No joy for Riviera on that attempt.

Riviera gets a takedown into half guard.
Kirilenko manages to get to full guard.
Kirilenko trying to control the position here.

Riviera stands up and waves to Kirilenko to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirilenko darts in trying to clinch
and Riviera counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Riviera has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Riviera there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kirilenko tries for a takedown but Riviera circles away easily
and Riviera counters with a nice leg kick.

Riviera darts in and clinches Kirilenko up against the cage.
Riviera is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Riviera wants to get back to striking at distance but Kirilenko won't allow it.
Kirilenko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kirilenko blocks an uppercut.
Riviera wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kirilenko drops down looking for an ankle pick but Riviera pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Riviera, right into the meat.
Cain Riviera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Riviera changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kirilenko tries to avoid it but Riviera manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kirilenko to the ground. Kirilenko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Alexander Kirilenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kirilenko forces Riviera back against the cage and clinches.
Kirilenko tries to pull guard but Riviera won't allow it.
Alexander Kirilenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kirilenko tries to score a body lock takedown but Riviera shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cain Riviera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Riviera has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cain Riviera!