PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rivera has chosen Push it to the Limit - Rick Ross as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Manhoef
vs
Rivera

184 cm
28
187 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

183 cm
34
179 lbs
27 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER

Key Clothing LLC

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Melvin Manhoef!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Junior Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera tries to clinch up.
Rivera throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Manhoef counters with a thumping low kick.
Manhoef sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Manhoef has managed to clinch.
Rivera wants to get back to striking at distance but Manhoef won't allow it.
Manhoef has a couple of punches blocked by Rivera.
Rivera gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Manhoef is trying to maintain a safe position but Rivera gets an underhook and turns Manhoef into the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Manhoef as Rivera tries to tie him up.
Manhoef takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Rivera.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but Manhoef blocks with his arms.
Manhoef doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nice body punch from Manhoef - that landed with a thud.
Rivera is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Manhoef is defending well for now.
Manhoef tries to throw a body punch but Rivera avoids it by throwing Manhoef back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manhoef takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rivera blocks a body shot from Manhoef.
Manhoef blocks an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef blocks the elbow strike.
Rivera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rivera goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Manhoef keeps control of Rivera as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rivera misses with a knee strike.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A knee to the head by Rivera.
Manhoef lands a shoulder strike.
Rivera tries to land knees in the clinch but Manhoef avoids the damage to the body.
Rivera slowing the pace effectively.
Rivera utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rivera throws an elbow but misses.
Manhoef has a couple of punches blocked by Rivera.
Rivera tries for a takedown. No joy.
Manhoef effectively controlling the action here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Manhoef.
Manhoef swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Manhoef - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rivera landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rivera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rivera trying to land knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manhoef is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rivera scores with a knee to the head.
Rivera with a knee to the head.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Manhoef managing to block the knees to the body from Rivera.
Rivera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Manhoef tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Manhoef is trying to maintain a safe position but Rivera gets an underhook and turns Manhoef into the cage.
Rivera scores with a knee to the head.
Manhoef softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rivera putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Manhoef in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rivera using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but Manhoef blocks it.
Rivera blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rivera with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Manhoef misses with a hook from the clinch.
Manhoef can't find room to land a body shot as Rivera controls the action.
Rivera tries to throw a body punch but Manhoef avoids it by throwing Rivera back against the cage.
Manhoef throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Riveras head.
Rivera misses with a knee strike.
Manhoef digs a right hand into Rivera's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rivera's gas tank.
Rivera unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Manhoef blocks an elbow strike.
A shot in the inside from Manhoef.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Manhoef tries a body shot but Rivera blocks it.
Rivera creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Manhoef's defenses.
Manhoef swings wildly with an uppercut but Rivera uses good head movement to avoid it.
Manhoef lands with a right to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera taking a breather.
Rivera prevents a body shot from Manhoef.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rivera blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Manhoef to work.
Manhoef stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but Manhoef blocks it.
Manhoef content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rivera tries a knee to the head but Manhoef blocks it.
Rivera misses with a knee strike.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but Manhoef blocks with his arms.
Manhoef being controlled against the cage.
Rivera throws a punch but it's blocked by Manhoef.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rivera throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Manhoef trying to stall but Rivera improves his position.
Manhoef blocks an elbow strike from Rivera.
Manhoef lands with a short head shot on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Rivera 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.

Rivera moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Good work by Rivera as he checks the leg kick.
Manhoef throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Manhoef fails to land with a series of punches.
Rivera checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Manhoef scores with a jab to the body.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses
and Rivera counters with a straight right hand.
Manhoef misses with a head kick.
Rivera ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Manhoef moves away.
Rivera tries a head kick but it misses.
Rivera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rivera throws a sloppy head kick and Manhoef moves out of range easily.
Rivera throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Manhoef throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rivera uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rivera keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Manhoef connects with a solid leg kick.
Manhoef throws a chopping leg kick but Rivera manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Rivera shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Manhoef napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rivera tries to advance to mount but Manhoef denies him.
Rivera is looking to take a break and control but Manhoef is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Manhoef keeping his opponent close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef is pushing Rivera's head away, looking to escape. Rivera manages to hold on to the position though.
Manhoef gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rivera throwing shots but Manhoef is blocking nicely.
Rivera looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rivera misses with a head shot. Manhoef uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rivera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manhoef swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rivera being controlled here momentarily.
Rivera tries to free his leg and advance position but Manhoef is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivera wants to control from the top but Manhoef keeps moving.
Rivera looking to sit in guard and control but Manhoef gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rivera tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

We're going to have a standup here because Melvin Manhoef wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rivera tries to land a leg kick but Manhoef saw it coming and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Rivera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Rivera looks to land a body kick but Manhoef moved away.
Rivera misses with a kick to the body.
Manhoef walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rivera checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rivera fails with a takedown attempt.
Rivera has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Manhoef.

Rivera tries to keep at a distance but Manhoef has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rivera misses with a knee to the head.
Manhoef throws a head punch that misses.
Manhoef is trying to stall.

Rivera gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Rivera trying to control the position from guard on top but Manhoef is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Manhoef wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Junior Rivera was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rivera lands a head kick!
Manhoef misses with a looping left.
Rivera feints and then cracks Manhoef's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Manhoef down.

Manhoef fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rivera, pushing him back against the cage.
Melvin Manhoef has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rivera landing knees to the head.
Manhoef tries a body shot but Rivera blocks it.
Rivera missing with knees to the body.
The referee calls for Manhoef to work.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Manhoef.
Rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivera is trying to force a seperation but Manhoef has the dominant position.
Rivera throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Manhoef lands an uppercut.
Rivera blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rivera trying to control the position but instead, Manhoef has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rivera into the cage.
Rivera lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Manhoef blocks an elbow strike.
Rivera misses with a knee strike.
Rivera looking to throw knees to the head but Manhoef is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Manhoef creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Junior Rivera seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rivera connects with a knee to the head.
Manhoef misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rivera's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Manhoef slowing the pace effectively.
Manhoef lands with a light punch inside.
Rivera has Manhoef pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Manhoef manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Manhoef struggles to land a body shot inside as Rivera controls his hands.
Manhoef stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Manhoef is pushing Rivera up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Manhoef trying to control the position but instead, Rivera has worked for underhooks and has pushed Manhoef into the cage.
Manhoef lands with a left to the head.
Rivera blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef blocks the elbow strike.
Rivera blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Manhoef blocks a body shot from Rivera.
Rivera wants to stall.
Rivera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Manhoef scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manhoef scores with a shot to the side of Rivera's head.
Manhoef throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Riveras head.
Rivera is trying to break the clinch but Manhoef has him pressed against the cage.
Manhoef looking to slow down the pace here.
Rivera with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Rivera breaks from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rivera misses with a low kick as Manhoef jumps back.
Rivera scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rivera tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Melvin Manhoef.
I think Rivera 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Junior Rivera!
After the fight, Junior Rivera was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.