PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Alexander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander's entrance music is Ready to Die- Andrew WK. A fine choice. Rivera has chosen Go hard or go home - E-40 as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Michael Rivera has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Alexander
vs
Rivera

175 cm
20
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

169 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Alexander!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alexander goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Rivera gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alexander postures up in Rivera's guard and throws a big left but Rivera blocks it.
Alexander 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.

Alexander gets to his feet. Rivera looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Alexander gets the takedown into side control.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet but Alexander drags him back down.
Rivera looks gassed!
Alexander landing strikes.
Alexander tries to move to mount but Rivera blocks the move with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alexander stands up and beckons Rivera to his feet.
Alexander closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rivera circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rivera prevents the takedown attempt.
Alexander throws a knee to the head but misses.

Rivera breaks the clinch.

Alexander decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Alexander wants to pass the guard but Rivera is defending well.
Alexander 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 wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexander thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rivera is trying to stand up here but Alexander is controlling him well.
Alexander could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Rivera pushes Alexander off and gets back to his feet.
Michael Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rivera pushes Alexander up against the cage in a clinch.
Alexander blocks a body shot from Rivera.
Rivera avoiding damage as Alexander throws knees to the body.
Alexander can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmy Alexander. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivera stops a takedown attempt from Alexander.

Alexander escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Alexander is looking to clinch but Rivera is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Alexander there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Alexander lands with a nice body kick.
Alexander throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Alexander throws a head kick but Rivera moves out of range.
Alexander fails in his attempt to clinch.
Alexander throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Alexander escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fighters circle momentarily. Alexander darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Alexander throws a sloppy head kick and Rivera moves out of range easily.
Alexander lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Alexander fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rivera, pushing him back against the cage.

Alexander breaks from the clinch.
Rivera is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Alexander scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
The fight stays on the outside here - Alexander looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rivera tries to clinch

and Alexander moves into the clinch.
Alexander drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rivera is trying to break the clinch but Alexander has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera missing with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Alexander.
Rivera is trying to maintain a safe position but Alexander gets an underhook and turns Rivera into the cage.
Rivera stops a takedown attempt from Alexander.
Rivera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Alexander has him pressed against the cage.
Alexander lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rivera or not.

Alexander breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Alexander shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rivera misses with a series of wild punches.
Alexander fails with the takedown.
Rivera closes the distance and lands a one-two.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Alexander shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Alexander showed some decent athleticism there.

Rivera has one foot on Alexander's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Alexander dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Alexander gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Alexander manages to break the clinch.
Alexander lands a high kick!
Alexander misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Alexander scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Alexander lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Alexander advances to full mount.
Alexander scoring with strikes but Rivera is staying in there.
Alexander takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Alexander trying to control but Rivera is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexander working the ground and pound effectively.
Rivera is breathing heavily.
Rivera taking shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera tries to hold on but Alexander postures up.
Alexander takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Alexander cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexander with shots to the head and body - Rivera looks very uncomfortable down there.
Alexander won't let Rivera get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Alexander avoids the attempt from Rivera to control.
Alexander sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Alexander's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera is wriggling around trying to escape.

Alexander has hold of Rivera's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Rivera manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Rivera tries to hold on but Alexander pushes him away.
Rivera is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Jimmy Alexander overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alexander lands a big shot there that rocks Rivera but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Rivera flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rivera tries to hold on but Alexander pushes him away.
Rivera is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Rivera is bucking up trying to escape but Alexander cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Alexander lands with some strikes.
Alexander is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rivera can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rivera is desperately trying to improve his position but Alexander has a good base and remains in mount.
Alexander has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rivera's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Alexander dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Alexander rushes Rivera and presses him up against the cage.
Alexander tries to throw a body punch but Rivera avoids it by throwing Alexander back against the cage.
Alexander lands a nice knee to the body.

Alexander has Rivera pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Alexander pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Rivera tumbling to the mat - Alexander dives into Rivera's guard.
Rivera is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Alexander dives into side control.
Alexander scoring with punches and elbows.
Alexander working away.
Rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rivera bucks up and tries to throw Alexander off but instead Alexander has got his back!

Alexander is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Rivera has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alexander is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Rivera defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Alexander working for a choke but Rivera is defending well.
Alexander controlling from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexander connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Rivera to escape the position.
Rivera tries to break free.
Alexander scores with punches to the body.
Rivera wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Alexander manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Alexander is looking for the choke from the back position but Rivera is controlling his hands well.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Alexander controlling the positon.
Rivera is covering up but some of the strikes from Alexander are getting through and doing damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alexander is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Rivera. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Alexander lands strikes to the head.
Can Rivera hold on?! Alexander is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Alexander lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Rivera.
Alexander connects with a big shot to the side of Rivera's head.
Alexander biding his time, controlling Rivera.
Michael Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alexander scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Rivera is looking for a way out.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Alexander showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Alexander 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:26
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:26
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Alexander!