PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rod Rivers (ranked 24256 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julien Cousineau (ranked 4508 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Rivers
vs
Cousineau

206 cm
25
279 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rod Rivers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Julien Cousineau!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cousineau lands a right hook to the body.
Rivers changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cousineau tries to avoid it but Rivers manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cousineau to the ground. Cousineau escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Rivers closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Cousineau did well to prevent Rivers getting side control.
Rivers tries to stand but can't do so whilst Cousineau controls his leg.
Nice strikes from Rivers there.
Rivers thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cousineau is trying to maintain the position but Rivers is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cousineau wants to improve his position but Rivers is controlling well.
Rivers scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cousineau blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rivers.
Cousineau is controlling Rivers's position as best he can from this difficult position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cousineau can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cousineau trying to hold on to Rivers's head to control him but Rivers postures up.
Cousineau flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rivers scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rivers slips a nice elbow through Cousineau's hands, connecting with Cousineau's forehead.
Cousineau trying to hold on to Rivers's head to control him but Rivers postures up.
Rivers is nestled in close to Cousineau, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cousineau is looking to get back to full guard here but Rivers has managed to pass to side control instead.
Rivers cracks Cousineau with a big elbow.
Rivers in side control lands a decent elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rivers stands up.
Rivers shoots in but Cousineau avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cousineau tries to counter by closing the distance.
Cousineau has his takedown stuffed

and Rivers counters by clinching up.
Cousineau is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rivers gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cousineau tries to stall but Rivers uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rivers as Cousineau tries to tie him up.

Rivers lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rivers landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivers lands strikes from half guard.
Rivers prevents Cousineau from improving his position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rivers lands a nice short elbow.
Rivers winds up and cracks Cousineau with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rivers winds up and cracks Cousineau with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Cousineau has a hand on Rivers's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Rivers takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Rivers 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cousineau is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rivers lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Rivers is landing with some decent strikes but Cousineau is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cousineau working to try and regain half guard.
Rivers looking to finish Cousineau with some ground and pound. This is bad for Cousineau!
Cousineau really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rivers is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rod Rivers 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.

Cousineau fails with the takedown.
Rod Rivers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cousineau fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rivers is looking to counter the offense by Cousineau and move into the clinch.

Rivers gets a clinch.

Rivers manages to break the clinch.
Cousineau shoots in but Rivers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rod Rivers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julien Cousineau.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Rivers as Cousineau shoots in.

Rivers shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cousineau manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rivers's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rivers is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rivers postures up and lands a big shot to Cousineau's brow.
Rivers connects with a couple of short punches.
Cousineau looking to control but Rivers passes into half guard.
Rod Rivers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rivers landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivers working the head and body with strikes.
Rivers scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rivers lands strikes from half guard.
Cousineau really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rivers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cousineau is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cousineau on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rivers takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cousineau taking some punishment here, with Rivers in his half guard.
Rivers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivers lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rivers working over Cousineau with some ground and pound. Cousineau looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rivers scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rivers working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rivers working over Cousineau with some ground and pound. Cousineau looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivers lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Cousineau trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers prevents Cousineau from getting the reversal.
Rivers is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Cousineau can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

It looks like Julien Cousineau has been cut.
Rivers punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rivers raining down shots from the mount!
Rivers has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Cousineau's face.
Rivers takes Cousineau's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Cousineau is in trouble.
Rivers lands shots from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Cousineau.
Rivers lands a shot to the body.
Rivers is punishing Cousineau with strikes - can he finish him?!
Rivers is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cousineau can do to turn this around?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cousineau trying to control the hands but Rivers won't let him.
Cousineau is covering up but some of the strikes from Rivers are getting through and doing damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rod Rivers dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Julien Cousineau's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rivers throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cousineau tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rivers is in Cousineau's guard.
Rivers stands up over Cousineau, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rivers scoring with some ground and pound.
Rivers postures up and lands a big shot to Cousineau's brow.
Rivers chips away with some ground and pound.
Rivers works over Cousineau with some ground and pound from guard.
Cousineau throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Rivers cracks Cousineau with a solid left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cousineau working a defensive guard but Rivers passes into half guard.
Rivers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rivers seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cousineau is trying to control but Rivers passes into side control!
Cousineau takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rivers landing strikes.
Rivers is working Cousineau over with some ground and pound from side control.

Rivers has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Rivers has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cousineau scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rivers's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Cousineau managing to block the knees to the body from Rivers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cousineau wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rivers has him pressed against the cage.

Rivers jumps guard.
Cousineau showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cousineau trying to move into half guard but instead Rivers has managed to sweep!

Rivers with a nice head shot there.
Rivers connects with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rivers's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rivers lands a couple of digs.

That has opened up Julien Cousineau's cut even more.
Rivers postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rivers is in close to Cousineau's body, working some short punches and elbows.

The cut above Julien Cousineau's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Rivers connects with a couple of short punches.
Rivers with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Julien Cousineau's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Julien Cousineau's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Rod Rivers!