PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Dams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sonnen
vs
Dams

185 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
139 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Damian Dams!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Sam Margolis and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonnen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dams.

Sonnen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Dams looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sonnen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Dams defending well though.
Sonnen takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sonnen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Dams wants to get back to his feet.
Dams is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sonnen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sonnen trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dams flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sonnen controlling the action here.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sonnen fails with a takedown attempt.
Dams shoots in for a takedown but Sonnen shows good takedown defense.

Sonnen has closed the distance and engaged Dams in a clinch.
Dams stops a takedown attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Dams gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chael Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Dams is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sonnen is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Dams to the mat. Dams regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sonnen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sonnen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sonnen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sonnen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen stands up over Dams, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sonnen controlling from the top position.

Dams working for submissions but it's allowed Sonnen to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Dams is looking to control Sonnen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dams avoid being mounted?
Sonnen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dams's head.
Dams pushes Sonnen off looking to stand but Sonnen dives back in and keeps control.
Dams looks gassed!
Sonnen with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Sonnen working Dams over with strikes.
Sonnen wants to pass to mount but Dams is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen content to control rather than advance.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Sonnen working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Dams's thigh. Dams counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Sonnen controlling from the top position.
Sonnen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Dams's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen controlling the action here.
Sonnen trying to pass the guard but Dams defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Dams misses the shot to the body.

Sonnen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Dams quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen uses his free foot to push down on Dams's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Dams.
Dams is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sonnen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Dams tries to hold on but Sonnen postures up.
Sonnen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sonnen with shots to the head and body - Dams looks very uncomfortable down there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sonnen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sonnen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sonnen is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Dams to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Dams shrugs it off.
Sonnen controlling from the full mount.
Sonnen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

It looks like Damian Dams has been cut.
Sonnen is landing with some decent strikes but Dams is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
Sonnen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Dams hang on?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dams really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dams is breathing heavily.
Sonnen landing strikes from the mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sonnen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dams?

That has opened up Damian Dams's cut even more.
Sonnen lands a big elbow.

Dams is rocked!
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
Sonnen raining down shots from the mount!
Dams is still in real trouble! Can Sonnen finish him?
Sonnen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
Dams seems to have recovered his senses.
Sonnen lands a big shot there that rocks Dams but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen looking to finish Dams with some ground and pound. This is bad for Dams!
Sonnen scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
Sonnen working Dams over with strikes here.

The cut above Damian Dams's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Damian Dams's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Chael Sonnen!