PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ademaro Dos Anjos (ranked 190 p4p, 654 weight class) and Daniel Yonic (ranked 29 p4p, 87 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Dos Anjos
vs
Yonic

182 cm
23
180
10 - 1 - 0

172 cm
29
185
9 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Dangerous knees
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

The Stuff
Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ademaro Dos Anjos!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Daniel Yonic!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Reed Andrews and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yonic throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dos Anjos's waist but Dos Anjos gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yonic off to one side.

Yonic closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Dos Anjos quickly recovers to half guard.
Yonic thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Dos Anjos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yonic is looking to stall here but Dos Anjos recovers full guard.
Dos Anjos keeping moving, preventing Yonic from controlling successfully.
Yonic lands a couple of elbows.
Dos Anjos definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Dos Anjos throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Anjos looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Dos Anjos has his foot on Yonic's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yonic works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dos Anjos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yonic is aware though and is defending well.
Yonic with a nice head shot there.
Yonic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Dos Anjos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yonic is one step ahead there.
Yonic wants to pass the guard but Dos Anjos is keeping the position.
Dos Anjos is trying to keep Yonic in close.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Yonic working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

Dos Anjos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yonic is aware though and is defending well.
Yonic wants to control from the top but Dos Anjos keeps moving.
Yonic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dos Anjos is keeping the position for now.
Yonic is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yonic scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dos Anjos trying to control the position here.

Dos Anjos has his foot on Yonic's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yonic works his way back into a safe position though.
Yonic is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Dos Anjos is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yonic working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dos Anjos's head.
Dos Anjos looking for a sweep. Not yet Dos Anjos, not yet.
Yonic throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Dos Anjos is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Yonic defends well.
Yonic postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yonic is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Dos Anjos is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yonic working some strikes from top position.
Dos Anjos keeping moving, preventing Yonic from controlling successfully.

Dos Anjos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yonic stands up over Dos Anjos, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Dos Anjos keeping moving, preventing Yonic from controlling successfully.

Dos Anjos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yonic stopping the sweep attempt from Dos Anjos.
Yonic distracts Dos Anjos with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Dos Anjos is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yonic slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yonic working some strikes from top position.
Dos Anjos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Yonic lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Yonic must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dos Anjos looking for a sweep. Not yet Dos Anjos, not yet.

Dos Anjos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yonic gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Yonic working some strikes from top position.
Yonic lands a couple of elbows.
Yonic with a nice head shot there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yonic working some strikes from top position.
Yonic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Yonic's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Yonic working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Yonic dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dos Anjos feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Yonics jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Dos Anjos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Yonic.
Dos Anjos misses with a wild body shot.
Dos Anjos connects with a jab.
Dos Anjos tries to close the distance and clinch but Yonic swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Yonic takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Yonic shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Yonic showed some decent athleticism there.
Dos Anjos is staying active underneath Yonic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Yonic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dos Anjos trying to control but Yonic postures up.
Dos Anjos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Yonic scores with a couple of nice shots.
Dos Anjos wants to control but Yonic is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dos Anjos gets full guard.

Dos Anjos looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Yonic passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yonic landing a few strikes.
Dos Anjos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Dos Anjos takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Yonic controlling from side mount.
Yonic is putting a hurting on Dos Anjos here, landing some big shots from side control.
Daniel Yonic has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yonic wants to control but Dos Anjos is keeping him busy.
Dos Anjos tries to improve position but can't.

Yonic thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dos Anjos is looking to reverse the position.
Dos Anjos can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Anjos tries to bench press Yonic off him but Yonic keeps the position.
Dos Anjos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Dos Anjos is looking to reverse the position.
Yonic cracks Dos Anjos with a big right hand but Dos Anjos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Yonic scores with punches from side control.
Yonic in side control lands a decent elbow.
Yonic is putting a hurting on Dos Anjos here, landing some big shots from side control.
Yonic trying to control the position but Dos Anjos is working away.
Yonic is putting a hurting on Dos Anjos here, landing some big shots from side control.

It looks like Ademaro Dos Anjos has been cut.
Dos Anjos is trying to get back to half guard.
Yonic scores with punches from side control.
Check out the look on Yonic's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Yonic is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yonic working the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Anjos is not content to let Yonic control the position.
Dos Anjos taking punishment in the form of punches.

Dos Anjos is rocked!
Dos Anjos is trying to control Yonic's posture but Yonic avoids it.
Dos Anjos regains half guard.
Yonic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dos Anjos keeps working.

Dos Anjos actively working from the bottom here.
Yonic slips a nice elbow through Dos Anjos's hands, connecting with Dos Anjos's forehead.
Dos Anjos trying to control but Yonic postures up.

Dos Anjos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yonic is trying to control the action in half guard but Dos Anjos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dos Anjos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Yonic controlling from the top position.
Yonic works over Dos Anjos with some ground and pound from guard.
Yonic lands a couple of digs.

Dos Anjos has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yonic can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Dos Anjos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yonic manages to get himself to full guard.

Dos Anjos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yonic has control of Dos Anjos's left arm, preventing Dos Anjos from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Yonic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ademaro Dos Anjos's cut.
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.

Yonic shoots in for a takedown but Dos Anjos shows good takedown defense.
Dos Anjos tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yonic was well out of range. Poor timing from Dos Anjos.
Ademaro Dos Anjos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dos Anjos connects with a body shot that sends Yonic's belly button to the back.
Yonic dives in for a single leg takedown but Dos Anjos sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Yonic stuns Dos Anjos with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Yonic's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Dos Anjos connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Yonic scrambles back to his feet.

Yonic scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dos Anjos being controlled for a moment.
Dos Anjos struggling a bit here.
Dos Anjos is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Yonic trying to control the position but Dos Anjos is working away.
Dos Anjos can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Anjos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Dos Anjos is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Yonic seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Dos Anjos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dos Anjos wants to sweep here but Yonic controlling him for the moment.
Yonic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Yonic landing with the ground and pound.
Yonic trying to control but Dos Anjos is working from the bottom.

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.
Yonic postures up and lands a big shot to Dos Anjos's brow.

Dos Anjos is looking for a triangle but Yonic pushes his legs off easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Yonic's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Dos Anjos working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Yonic doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Yonic manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Dos Anjos had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yonic defends it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yonic lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yonic scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Yonic works over Dos Anjos with some ground and pound from guard.
Yonic lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Dos Anjos pushes a forearm under Yonic's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Yonic is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ademaro Dos Anjos!
Ademaro Dos Anjos retains his middleweight title!
After winning the bout, Ademaro Dos Anjos thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.