PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lauri Mononen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aengus O Donnell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mononen comes to the cage accompanied by I Must Break You!. O Donnell is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Dropkick Murphys - Worker's Song. Aengus O Donnell will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mononen
vs
O Donnell

186 cm
19
193 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

184 cm
19
203 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

Win Nutritional

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lauri Mononen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aengus O Donnell!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

O Donnell moves into the clinch successfully.
O Donnell is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
O Donnell has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mononen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mononen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

O Donnell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mononen throws a head kick that misses.
Mononen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mononen shoots in and drives through. O Donnell sprawls well.
O Donnell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mononen wants to clinch.

O Donnell clinches up against the cage.
O Donnell drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lauri Mononen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aengus O Donnell.
Mononen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Donnell smiles and moves away.
Mononen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but O Donnell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
O Donnell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mononen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
O Donnell slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Mononen fails with a takedown attempt.
Mononen ducks under a wild hook from O Donnell.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mononen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with O Donnell, pushing him back against the cage.

O Donnell decides to pull guard.

Mononen drops back, looking for a kneebar! O Donnell looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. O Donnell looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from O Donnell!
Mononen tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Mononen is not content to let O Donnell control the position.
Mononen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

O Donnell decides to stand back up.
Aengus O Donnell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mononen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
O Donnell is looking to slow Mononen down with leg kicks.
O Donnell scores with a nice head shot.
Mononen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has O Donnell pinned against the cage. O Donnell gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
O Donnell looks to clinch

and Mononen counters by moving into the clinch.
O Donnell is trying to break the clinch but Mononen has him pressed against the cage.
Mononen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as O Donnell walks away with a smile on his face. Mononen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Mononen gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

O Donnell jumps into guard, dragging Mononen to the mat.
O Donnell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mononen throws a big right hand that misses.

O Donnell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Mononen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
O Donnell is looking to take a break and control but Mononen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
O Donnell looks up at the clock and then as Mononen takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, O Donnell smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Mononen tries to buck O Donnell off but O Donnell is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Donnell working the ground and pound.
Mononen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but O Donnell wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mononen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked O Donnell off and has taken his back!

Mononen looking for the RNC.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mononen looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Mononen is trying to stick to O Donnell's back but O Donnell is turning into Mononen. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Mononen's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by O Donnell.
O Donnell with a nice head shot there.
Mononen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Mononen looking for subs off his back but O Donnell has passed one foot through into half guard.
Mononen is breathing heavily.
O Donnell landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

O Donnell is working for a submission of some sort.
Mononen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of O Donnell's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take O Donnell's back!

Mononen looking for the choke but no joy.
Mononen somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

O Donnell is in a bad position with Mononen working for a choke. O Donnell manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.

Mononen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
O Donnell postures up and lands a big shot to Mononen's brow.
O Donnell 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.

Aengus O Donnell dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

O Donnell moves into range and clinches up with Mononen.
Mononen jumps guard but O Donnell stands there with Mononen around his waist. Mononen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mononen missing with knees to the body.
Mononen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as O Donnell walks away with a smile on his face. Mononen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mononen wants to clinch but O Donnell slips to the side
and O Donnell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
O Donnell misses with a body shot.
Mononen moves in looking to clinch but O Donnell pushes him off.
Mononen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but O Donnell avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauri Mononen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mononen slips a jab from O Donnell.
Decent striking displayed by O Donnell there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mononen.
O Donnell swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Mononen clinches.

Mononen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics O Donnell uses from the top position.
O Donnell trying to control but Mononen is working from the bottom.
Mononen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

O Donnell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mononen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
O Donnell slips nicely into half guard.
Mononen tries to roll over but O Donnell keeps him under control.
Nice strikes from O Donnell there.
O Donnell slips a nice elbow through Mononen's hands, connecting with Mononen's forehead.

Mononen actively working from the bottom here.
O Donnell is trying to control the action in half guard but Mononen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mononen taking some punishment here, with O Donnell in his half guard.
O Donnell uses his free foot to push down on Mononen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Mononen.
Mononen sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

O Donnell is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
O Donnell prevents Mononen from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Donnell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mononen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Mononen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but O Donnell pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
O Donnell blocks the strikes from Mononen.

Mononen looking for submissions off his back.
O Donnell seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Mononen wants to improve his position but O Donnell is controlling well.
O Donnell working over Mononen with some ground and pound. Mononen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mononen taking some punishment here, with O Donnell in his half guard.
O Donnell wants to control but Mononen is keeping him busy.
Mononen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mononen tries to get to full guard but O Donnell has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mononen has hold of O Donnell's hands but O Donnell slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Aengus O Donnell has got the better of the ground game so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
O Donnell throws a jab when Mononen was well out of range.
O Donnell tries to clinch there but Mononen circles away.
O Donnell is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mononen.
O Donnell tries a low kick but Mononen avoids it.
Mononen tries for a takedown but O Donnell circles away easily
and O Donnell counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
O Donnell loads up on a big right hand but Mononen slips the punch.
Aengus O Donnell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
O Donnell looks to land a left hand but Mononen moved out of range nicely.
Lauri Mononen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
O Donnell just misses with a punch to the body.
Mononen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mononen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck O Donnell on the side of the head.
Mononen staying out of range there.
O Donnell throws the left hand but Mononen avoids the punch easily.
Mononen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A big left from O Donnell misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
O Donnell throws a solid leg kick but Mononen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at O Donnell.
O Donnell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mononen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by O Donnell.
Mononen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mononen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A cross from O Donnell lands.
Mononen looks to clinch
and O Donnell counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mononen's knee momentarily.
O Donnell thows a body shot but no joy.
O Donnell lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Mononen throws a sloppy head kick and O Donnell moves out of range easily.
Mononen wants to clinch.
O Donnell lands with a cross.
O Donnell does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
O Donnell swats away the attempt to clinch by Mononen.

Mononen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for O Donnell!
O Donnell tries to hold on but Mononen postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aengus O Donnell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

O Donnell turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
O Donnell waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Mononen.
O Donnell misses with an uppercut. Mononen saw that one coming.

O Donnell moves into the clinch successfully.
Mononen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Donnell smiles and moves away.
O Donnell misses with a looping left.

Mononen moves into range and clinches up with O Donnell.
Mononen jumps guard but O Donnell stands there with Mononen around his waist. Mononen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mononen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Donnell smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauri Mononen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

O Donnell takes the fight into the clinch.
O Donnell tries to score a body lock takedown but Mononen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
O Donnell struggles to land a body shot inside as Mononen controls his hands.
Mononen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. O Donnell fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Mononen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Donnell avoids the head kick by Mononen.
The fighters circling - O Donnell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
O Donnell connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Mononen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. O Donnell did well to prevent Mononen getting side control.

Mononen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Mononen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so O Donnell is just riding it out for now. Mononen eventually gives up the hold.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
O Donnell trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mononen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
O Donnell is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mononen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mononen's back!
Mononen can't escape the position.
O Donnell doesn't have the hooks in and Mononen manages to turn into his guard.
O Donnell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
O Donnell wants to stand up but Mononen is controlling him.
O Donnell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mononen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Mononen drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and O Donnell dives on top into guard.
O Donnell sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mononen's guard.
Mononen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
O Donnell is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Donnell throwing shots but Mononen is blocking nicely.
Nice strikes from O Donnell there.
Mononen gets full guard.
O Donnell throws a big right hand that misses.
O Donnell trying to control the position from guard on top but Mononen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Mononen looking to hit a scissor sweep but O Donnell is one step ahead there.
O Donnell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
O Donnell thows a big elbow that misses.
Mononen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
O Donnell is working Mononen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
O Donnell scoring with punches to the head and body.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
O Donnell throws an overhand right that lands on Mononen's shoulder, as Mononen tries to avoid the shot.
O Donnell wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from O Donnell misses.
Mononen moves out of range of the strikes.
Mononen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Mononen slips under a jab from O Donnell.
Mononen slips a jab from O Donnell.
Mononen wants to clinch.
Mononen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mononen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Mononen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Mononen clinches with his opponent.
Aengus O Donnell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
O Donnell blocks an elbow strike.
Mononen connects with a knee to the head.
O Donnell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Mononen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lauri Mononen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mononen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from O Donnell.
Mononen throws a sloppy head kick and O Donnell moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aengus O Donnell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well O Donnell 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aengus O Donnell!