PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cayden Abner (ranked 1632 p4p, 1836 weight class) and Donnie Larkin (ranked 254 p4p, 275 weight class). Abner comes to the cage accompanied by Bulls On Parade. Donnie Larkin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Abner
vs
Larkin

182 cm
34
176
22 - 15 - 0

181 cm
39
188
25 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer
IC&E Nutrition (& 10% Laundry)

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cayden Abner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Donnie Larkin!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Larkin swinging wildly here.
Abner takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Larkin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Abner as he avoids it easily.
We've been hearing reports that Abner has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
A decent looking cross lands there for Abner.

It looks like Donnie Larkin has been cut.

Larkin gets a double leg takedown into Abner's guard.
Larkin is looking to pass into half guard but Abner pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Abner is in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abner wants to control from the top but Larkin keeps moving.
Abner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Larkin wants to improve his position but instead Abner has moved into half guard.
Abner prevents Larkin from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abner tries to pass the half guard into mount. Larkin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Abner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Larkin wants to get back to full guard.
Larkin regains full guard. Nicely done.

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

Larkin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Abner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Abner decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Larkin, up you get!
Larkin fails with the takedown
and Abner counters with a stiff right hand.
Larkin throws a combination. Abner tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larkin misses with a head kick.
Abner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Larkin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Larkin looks to land a combination but Abner avoids it well.
Abner lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Abner misses with an uppercut. Larkin saw that one coming.
Abner takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Abner misses with a looping left.
Abner throws a hook but Larkin blocks it.
Larkin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cayden Abner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Larkin.

Larkin shoots in and gets a takedown into Abner's guard.
Abner pulls Larkin in close to his closed guard and prevents Larkin from doing any damage or advancing position.
Abner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Abner is on top in guard.

Larkin throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Abner's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Abner trying to control the position from guard on top but Larkin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Abner works over Larkin with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larkin keeping moving, preventing Abner from controlling successfully.
Larkin tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Larkin looking for a guillotine here but Abner defends easily.

Larkin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Abner defends well.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Abner's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Abner content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Abner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Abner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Cayden Abner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Donnie Larkin's cut.
That's time! Abner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Abner takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
The fighters circling - Abner throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Abner throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Larkin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Abner defends it nicely.
Abner lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larkin on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Larkin is looking to slow Abner down with leg kicks.
Larkin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Abner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larkin tries for a takedown but Abner circles away easily
and Abner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Donnie Larkin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good exchange - Abner coming out on top.
Abner throws a shot from downtown. Larkin moves away and avoids it.
Larkin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Abner as he avoids it easily.
Cayden Abner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Larkin.
No joy there for Larkin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Abner misses with an uppercut.
Abner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Larkin.
Abner throws an overhand right that lands on Larkin's shoulder, as Larkin tries to avoid the shot.
Larkin follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
A low kick from Abner misses

and Larkin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Abner won't be happy with that.
Abner is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Larkin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Larkin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Abner moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Larkin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Abner controls Larkin momentarily but Larkin frees himself.
Larkin connects with a couple of short punches.
Larkin throwing strikes but missing.
Larkin is looking to work some ground and pound but Abner has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abner manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Larkin manages to get himself to full guard.

Larkin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Abner manages to get himself to full guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Abner is on top in guard.

Larkin has his foot on Abner's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Abner works his way back into a safe position though.
Larkin keeping full guard, as Abner tries to pass.

Larkin throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Abner escapes and throws Larkin's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Abner in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Abner cracks Larkin with a big right hand but Larkin just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larkin takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Larkin is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Abner is controlling him well.
Abner is looking to take a break and control but Larkin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Abner decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Abner misses with a head kick.
Larkin looks for a takedown but Abner sprawls well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Abner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Larkin scoring with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cayden Abner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Donnie Larkin's cut.
That's time! Abner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Larkin defending well as Abner loads up on a big left hand.
Larkin ducks under a wild hook from Abner.
Larkin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Larkin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Larkin.
Larkin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Abner pinned against the cage. Abner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cayden Abner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Larkin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Larkin looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Abner!
Abner tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abner tries to lock up and control but Larkin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Larkin is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Abner is surviving well by controlling Larkin's body position as best he can.
Abner is trying desperately to improve position.
Larkin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larkin breaks from Abner's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Abner is rocked!
Larkin postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Abner bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Larkin and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Donnie Larkin!
After the fight, Donnie Larkin 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.
Cayden Abner was interviewed post fight and said 'Well that was fun, but the result was all wrong and kinda sucked. Let's do it again!'.