PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rolando Rich (ranked 25226 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iman Rivera (ranked 7335 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rich
vs
Rivera

193 cm
18
161 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rolando Rich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Iman Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rich shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rich showed some decent athleticism there.
Rivera keeping control of the position.
Rich sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rivera defending well though.
Rich thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rivera is trying to stand.
Rivera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rich.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rich drops an elbow to the side of Rivera's head.
Rich throwing shots but Rivera is blocking nicely.
Rich is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rivera looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rich lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rich missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rivera wants to control but Rich is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rivera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rich.
Rich lands strikes from half guard.
Rich lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rivera is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rich scores with a couple of nice shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rich.
Rich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nice strikes from Rich there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rich is keen to just control but Rivera is a slippery customer.
Rich thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rich sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rivera defending well though.
Rich drops an elbow to the side of Rivera's head.
Rich missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rich thows a huge punch but Rivera dodges it nicely.
Rivera keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rich thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rivera's head.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rivera is looking to control Rich's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rivera avoid being mounted?
Rich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rich tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rivera manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rivera flicks out a counter leg kick but Rich steps away.

Rich closes the distance and clinches.
Rivera stalls.
Rich is trying to maintain a safe position but Rivera gets an underhook and turns Rich into the cage.
Rivera jumps guard but Rich turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Rich jumps guard and drags Rivera to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rich has his hands on Rivera's head, controlling the position.

Rich 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.
Rich is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rich is nestled in close to Rivera, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rivera misses with some strikes from the bottom.
We've been informed that Rivera has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Rich lands with a punch from half guard.
Rich looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rivera with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rich missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rich looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolando Rich 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.

Rich slaps away a takedown attempt from Rivera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
As Rivera looks to move away, Rich throws a big counter combo but Rivera just gets out of the way.
Rich looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rivera is fending him off so far but Rich persists. Nope, Rivera circles away and we're back to standing.

Rich feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rivera is looking to stand back up but Rich counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Rivera.

Well, if Rich is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rich is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rivera can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rich seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rolando Rich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rivera is breathing heavily.

Rivera looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rich.
Rich trying to control from half guard but Rivera is working away.
Rich scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rich landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivera keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rich lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rivera taking some punishment here, with Rich in his half guard.
Rich really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rich takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rich throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rivera is looking for a sweep. Rich is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rivera trying to control here.
Rich lands with a punch from half guard.
Rich is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rich landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivera tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivera taking some punishment here, with Rich in his half guard.

Rich is looking for a kimura but Rivera is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rich to get the leverage.
Rich thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rivera's head.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rich is thwarting Rivera's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rich lands a nice looking body shot.

Rich gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rivera is pressed up against the cage. Rich has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rivera down to the mat. Rivera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rolando Rich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rivera tries to keep at a distance but Rich has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rivera manages to break the clinch.
Rich is looking to clinch but Rivera is avoiding it.
Rich shoots in for a takedown but Rivera shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rolando Rich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rich shoots for a takedown but Rivera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Iman Rivera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rich scores with a head kick. Rivera tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Rich cracks Rivera with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Rich tries to keep at a distance but Rivera has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rich keeps control of Rivera as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolando Rich dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Rich takes the fight into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rivera avoids a wild elbow strike from Rich.
Rich is trying to drag Rivera to the mat but Rivera just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Rivera is pressed up against the cage. Rich has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rivera down to the mat. Rivera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A combination from Rivera does no damage.
Rivera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rich shoots for a double leg takedown but Rivera sprawls well. He's pushed Rich's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rolando Rich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rivera will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivera has Rich up against the cage in a clinch.
Rich lands a shoulder strike.
Rivera has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rich is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rich tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rich tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rich wants to take the fight to the mat but Rivera manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rivera is pressed up against the cage. Rich has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rivera down to the mat. Rivera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rich goes for a double leg but Rivera avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rivera continues to drive forward.
Rivera tries a head kick but it misses.
Rich went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rich shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rivera as he avoids it easily.
Rivera doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rich counters with a stiff right hand.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rivera.

Rich drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rich with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rivera looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rivera tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rich working some strikes from top position.
Rich stops Rivera from standing up.
Rich scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rich throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rich tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rivera doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Rich darts in looking for a takedown but Rivera gets double underhooks and turns Rich into the cage.
Rivera tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

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 shoots and misses
and Rich cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rich tries to clinch but Rivera moves out of range.
Rivera tries for a takedown but Rich circles away easily
letting Rich counter with a right hand.
Rich tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rivera swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rivera moves into range and clinches up with Rich.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rich can't get the takedown.
Rich tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rivera just stands there and leans against the cage.

Rivera breaks the clinch.
Iman Rivera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rolando Rich is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rivera misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rich thinks about countering with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Iman Rivera.
I think Rich has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rolando Rich!