PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hiroshimo Sakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Donald (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.

Sakamoto
vs
Donald

180 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hiroshimo Sakamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Luke Donald!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Donatello Bradman and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donald wants to clinch up but Sakamoto keeps it at a distance.
Sakamoto scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Donald doesn't seem bothered though.
Sakamoto fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Donald checks it well.

Donald moves into the clinch.
Donald fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Donald breaks from the clinch.
A jab from Sakamoto does it's job there.
A jab from Sakamoto misses.
Sakamoto pivots, looking for a leg kick but Donald is out of range and Sakamoto settles back down.
Sakamoto thows a leg kick but Donald checks it

and Donald counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakamoto is trying to control but can't.

Donald is working for a submission of some sort.
Donald controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donald wants to free his trapped foot but Sakamoto is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Donald throwing shots but Sakamoto is blocking nicely.
Sakamoto on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Donald throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Donald stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Hiroshimo Sakamoto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sakamoto misses with an uppercut.

Sakamoto gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Donald to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Donald wants to control from the top but Sakamoto keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sakamoto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Donald controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Donald stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sakamoto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Donald works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Donald moves into full mount! Sakamoto won't be happy about that!
Donald content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Donald looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Donald throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Donald wants to finish this one by submission but Sakamoto is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Donald.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Donald dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Donald displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sakamoto throws out the jab.
Sakamoto misses with a low kick.
Donald tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sakamoto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Donald has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Donald there as he acknowledges the shot.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Donald, right into the meat.
Donald rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sakamoto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sakamoto misses with a looping right.
Sakamoto swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hiroshimo Sakamoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Donald darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Donald wants to free his trapped foot but Sakamoto is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donald trying to control the action but Sakamoto is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Donald with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Donald trying to control from half guard but Sakamoto is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Luke Donald.

Sakamoto tries to keep at a distance but Donald has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short right from Sakamoto on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Donald breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Donald blocks a jab.
Donald is looking to slow Sakamoto down with leg kicks.
Donald tries to clinch but Sakamoto moves out of range.
Luke Donald is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Donald checks a leg kick.

Donald throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sakamoto was covering up waiting for the punch and Donald finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Donald stays in close to Sakamoto's body and controls the position.
Donald is pushing down on Sakamoto's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sakamoto is fighting to maintain full guard but Donald has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Donald decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Donald keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sakamoto.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sakamoto. Donald does a little dance to reset his feet.
Donald tries to clinch up but Sakamoto circles away and keeps his distance.

Donald shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sakamoto is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Donald jumps into side control!
Sakamoto tries to improve position but can't.
Sakamoto on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Donald are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sakamoto is trying to improve his position.
Sakamoto regains half guard, as Donald was trying to land strikes.
Sakamoto is trying to control but Donald manages to pass to mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Donald landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Donald showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sakamoto pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sakamoto stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Donald dives in and grabs Sakamoto's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sakamoto pushes down on Donald's head and hops out.
Sakamoto misses the jab.

Donald shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Donald showed some decent athleticism there.
Donald not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Donald works his way into side control.
Donald throws an elbow but Sakamoto slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donald wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sakamoto keeps working.
Donald is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Donald stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Hiroshimo Sakamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Donald shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Donald wants to control but Sakamoto is keeping him busy.

Donald stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sakamoto to get to his feet.
Sakamoto takes a swing at Donald's ribcage but misses.
Donald keeps the fight on the outside.
Donald looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sakamoto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donald slips a jab from Sakamoto.
Sakamoto lands with a nice body punch.
Donald takes one to the side of the head.

Donald gets a double leg takedown into Sakamoto's guard.
Donald takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sakamoto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sakamoto working a defensive guard here.

Donald stands and steps away. Sakamoto gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donald throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sakamoto tries to clinch up but Donald circles away and keeps his distance.
A big right from Sakamoto misses.
Donald has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sakamoto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Donald's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sakamoto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sakamoto swats away the attempt to clinch by Donald.
A slapping leg kick lands for Donald.
Sakamoto feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Donald's calf.
Sakamoto's jab looks to have found its range, popping Donald under the eye.
Donald throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sakamoto gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Donald to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sakamoto is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Donald comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Donald winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Donald!