PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Damnation (ranked 3427 p4p, 3730 weight class) and Etimoni Founuku (ranked 378 p4p, 413 weight class). Damnation kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is St. Jimmy- Green Day. Founuku has chosen Gun - Blind Channel as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Damnation
vs
Founuku

173 cm
19
155
1 - 1 - 0

173 cm
19
156
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Knock Out Clothing

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jimmy Damnation!
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, Etimoni Founuku!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Wesley Smith and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Damnation shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Founuku's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Damnation trying to control the position from guard on top but Founuku is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Founuku looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Damnation stays in close to Founuku's body and controls the position.
Founuku looking for a sweep. Not yet Founuku, not yet.
Damnation trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Founuku manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Damnation looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Founuku trying to control but Damnation is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Founuku trying to move into half guard but instead Damnation has managed to sweep!

Founuku looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Founuku working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Damnation has passed into half guard!
Founuku has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Xtreme Black House. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

Founuku looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Damnation is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Damnation is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Founuku doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Damnation.
Founuku gets full guard.

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.
Damnation trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Founuku looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Damnation trying to control the position from guard on top but Founuku is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Founuku is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Damnation is aware though and is defending well.
Damnation knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Founuku on the ground.
Founuku working a defensive guard here.

Founuku had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Damnation defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damnation's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Damnation is pushing down on Founuku's leg trying to pass to half guard. Founuku is fighting to maintain full guard but Damnation has managed to sneak the leg through.
Damnation trying to control the action but Founuku is working from the bottom.
Damnation content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Founuku is not content to let Damnation control the position.
Founuku is trying to control but can't.
Founuku is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Damnation's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Damnation's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Damnation's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Founuku is trying to stick to Damnation's back but Damnation is turning into Founuku. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Founuku's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Damnation.
Damnation wants to pass the guard but Founuku is keeping the position.

Founuku is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Damnation defends well.
Founuku wants to sweep but no luck.
Damnation trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Founuku manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Damnation can't keep his opponent in guard - Founuku advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Founuku is looking for a kimura here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Etimoni Founuku will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Founuku gets the takedown into side control.

Founuku is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Damnation has escaped the position, nice work there.
Founuku working away.
Damnation has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Founuku throwing shots but missing, from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Founuku trying to control the position but Damnation is working away.
Damnation manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Founuku is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Damnation defends it well.
Damnation is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damnation is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Founuku pulls his head out easily.
Founuku is keen to just control but Damnation is a slippery customer.
Founuku moves nicely into side control.
Damnation manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Founuku wants to improve his position but Damnation is controlling well.
Founuku is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Damnation's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Damnation's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Damnation is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Founuku gets his way!
Damnation is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Founuku thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Founuku working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Founuku not allowing Damnation to control his hands.
Well, with Founuku on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Damnation is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Damnation is really stuck here.
Founuku has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Founuku is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Damnation knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Damnation for a finish.

Damnation is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Damnation is trying to break free.
Will Founuku go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Founuku working for a choke but Damnation is defending well.
Damnation manages to reverse the position and now he's in Founuku's guard. Nice work there by Damnation.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damnation trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Founuku looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Founuku looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Damnation has picked Founuku up and slammed him! Founuku can't keep hold of the triangle and Damnation manages to pass to side control!
Damnation tries to move to mount but Founuku blocks the move with his legs.
You can see the frustration on Founuku's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Damnation is looking to take a break and control but Founuku is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Damnation wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Founuku, who protects the arm well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Etimoni Founuku showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Founuku closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Damnation quickly recovers to half guard.

Founuku is trying to work for a kimura but Damnation is defending well.
Founuku is looking to advance position but Damnation won't allow it.
Damnation trying to control but Founuku postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Founuku works his foot free and advances to mount.
Damnation tries to hold on but Founuku postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damnation is in all sorts of trouble here.
Damnation is working hard here to advance position.

Founuku is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Damnation is surviving well by controlling Founuku's body position as best he can.
Etimoni Founuku has got the better of the ground game so far.
Founuku prevents Damnation from getting the reversal.
Founuku landing shots from mount.
Damnation is desperately trying to improve his position but Founuku has a good base and remains in mount.
Damnation manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Founuku lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Founuku tries to pass the half guard into mount. Damnation knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Damnation is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Founuku pulls his head out easily.
Damnation wants to control the action here but instead Founuku manages to pass to full mount!
Damnation avoids a series of strikes thrown by Founuku.
Founuku can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Damnation is looking to escape.
Damnation taking shots to the head.
Damnation regains half guard.

Founuku is trying to work for a kimura but Damnation is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Founuku is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Damnation defends it well.
Founuku stalling.
Jimmy Damnation has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Etimoni Founuku is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Damnation wants to improve his position but Founuku is controlling well.
Founuku performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four 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.
Damnation is looking for a sweep. Founuku is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Founuku is looking to take a break and control but Damnation is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Founuku is pressing down on Damnation's thigh, looking to free his foot. Damnation is holding on for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Damnation tries to get to full guard but Founuku has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Etimoni Founuku comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Founuku has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Etimoni Founuku!