PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dex Donk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pablo Roberto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roberto has chosen Dead By April - Trapped as his entrance music. 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.

Donk
vs
Roberto

200 cm
22
163 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
165 lbs
5 - 5 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Control Nutrition

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dex Donk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pablo Roberto!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Good leg kick by Donk there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Roberto waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Donk.

Donk clinches up with Roberto and pushes him back against the cage.

Roberto jumps into guard, dragging Donk to the mat.
Donk is pushing down on Roberto's leg trying to pass to half guard. Roberto is fighting to maintain full guard but Donk has managed to sneak the leg through.
Roberto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Roberto is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Donk is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Roberto reverses the position - he's now on top in Donk's guard.
Donk looking to control.

Roberto got a little sloppy there for a moment and Donk has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Roberto has managed to get both his arms back between Donk's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Donk working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Roberto doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Roberto manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Roberto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Donk avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Roberto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Roberto's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberto passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Donk is looking to regain half guard here but Roberto keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Roberto tries to score with some ground and pound. Donk controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Donk on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Roberto moves into full mount!
Roberto throws some wild stikes that Donk manages to avoid easily.
Donk is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The referee warns Donk that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Roberto in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Roberto throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Donk because Roberto loaded up on that one.
Roberto has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Donk's face.
Donk really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberto putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Donk tries to hold on but Roberto postures up.

Roberto working for a submission but Donk is keeping him at bay.
Roberto lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Donk is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Donk tries to reverse the position but Roberto maintains control.
Roberto misses with a head shot.
Roberto looking to finish with strikes here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donk is working to get back to half guard.

Roberto goes for an armbar but Donk turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Donk.
Donk postures up.
Donk pushing down on Roberto's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Donk is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Donk is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Roberto sees it coming and defends easily.
Donk is breathing heavily.
Donk prevents Roberto from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Roberto dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Roberto changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Donk looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Donk wants to control but Roberto postures up.
Roberto lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Donk gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Roberto with the ground and pound but Donk uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Donk had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Roberto defends it easily.
Roberto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Donk is keeping the position for now.
Roberto thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberto sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Donk's guard.
Donk is trying to get back to full guard.
Roberto working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are battling for position here. Donk manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Donk is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Roberto defends well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Roberto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberto looking to pass the guard.
Roberto advances position into side control!
Roberto tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Donk takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Donk is trying to buck Roberto off.
Donk manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Pablo Roberto has got the better of the ground game so far.
Roberto trying to hold on to Donk's head to control him but Donk postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberto manages to get to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donk trying to control but Roberto is working from the bottom.
Donk stopping the sweep attempt from Roberto.

Roberto is looking for a triangle but Donk pushes his legs off easily.
Donk slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Roberto is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Donk cracks Roberto with a big elbow.
Roberto tries to bench press Donk off him but Donk keeps the position.
The ground and pound from Donk seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Donk creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Roberto sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Donk is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Roberto has escaped the position, nice work there.
Donk working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Donk is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Roberto is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Roberto takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Roberto manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Roberto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Roberto drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Roberto lands a few punches from side control.
Donk is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Roberto off and has taken his back!
Roberto manages to reverse the position and now he's in Donk's guard. Nice work there by Roberto.

Donk working for a triangle but Roberto defends it easily.
Donk keeping moving, preventing Roberto from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberto lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Roberto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Roberto throws and elbow that misses. Donk uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Roberto's guard. Nice move by Donk!
Roberto wants to sweep here but Donk controlling him for the moment.
Roberto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Donk forces his way into half guard.

Roberto actively working from the bottom here.
Donk lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Donk is trying to work for a kimura but Roberto is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donk not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Donk will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Donk landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Roberto looking for submissions off his back.

Roberto manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Donk jabs Roberto right on the nose. Roberto blinks but takes it well.
Donk throws a leg kick which misses Roberto's front leg but catches the back leg as Roberto tries to avoid it.
Donk scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Roberto shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Donk sprawls well. Donk wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Roberto gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Donk drives through and clinches with Roberto against the cage.
Roberto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Donk with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Donk.
Donk landing knees to the head.
Donk landing knees to the body.
Donk scores with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Donk.
Nice elbow from Donk.

Roberto jumps into guard, dragging Donk to the mat.
Roberto can't keep his opponent in guard - Donk advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Roberto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Donk thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Roberto's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donk is trying to control. Roberto wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Donk 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.
Roberto moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dex Donk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Donk wants to pass the guard but Roberto is keeping the position.

Roberto working for a triangle but Donk defends it easily.
Roberto wants to stand but Donk is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Dex Donk.
I think Roberto has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pablo Roberto!