PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kiko Kaluma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donnie O Brien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Brien has chosen Rocky Road to Dublin as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kaluma has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Kaluma
vs
O Brien

190 cm
27
140 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

172 cm
33
142 lbs
30 - 16 - 1

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Knockout power

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 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kiko Kaluma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Donnie O Brien !
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Skip Squint and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Brien misses with a wild combination.
O Brien dives in and grabs Kaluma's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kaluma pushes down on O Brien 's head and hops out.
Kaluma slips a jab from O Brien .

O Brien closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kaluma to the mat! Kaluma manages to get full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kaluma being controlled here, momentarily.

O Brien avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
O Brien advances position into side control!
Kaluma being controlled for a moment.
It looks like O Brien might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Donnie O Brien .
Kaluma stuffs the takedown.
O Brien misses with an uppercut.
Nice sprawl there from O Brien as Kaluma shoots in.
O Brien looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kiko Kaluma has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie O Brien .
O Brien changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kaluma tries to avoid it but O Brien manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kaluma to the ground. Kaluma escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaluma doesn't manage to clinch there - O Brien circles away.
O Brien throws an overhand right that lands on Kaluma's shoulder, as Kaluma tries to avoid the shot.

O Brien shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kaluma napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kaluma is breathing heavily.
O Brien staying calm.
Kaluma gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
O Brien with the ground and pound from mount.
O Brien content just to control the position here.
Kaluma gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Brien not doing much here.
Kaluma really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Donnie O Brien .
O Brien dives in and grabs Kaluma's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kaluma pushes down on O Brien 's head and hops out.
Kaluma showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from O Brien .
A lazy left from O Brien finds it's target.

O Brien gets a double leg takedown into Kaluma's guard.
O Brien engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Donnie O Brien has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
O Brien waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kaluma.
Kaluma fails in his attempt to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kaluma lands a high kick!
Kaluma ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kaluma wants to clinch up but O Brien keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie O Brien dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

O Brien closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kaluma quickly recovers to half guard.
Kaluma is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
O Brien moves into full mount! Kaluma won't be happy about that!
O Brien dominating with strikes here.
O Brien has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kaluma's face.
O Brien controlling from mount.

O Brien is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Kaluma is surviving well by controlling O Brien 's body position as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Brien tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
O Brien 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Kaluma is looking to get to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kaluma taking shots to the head.
O Brien tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

O Brien working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Brien controlling from the full mount.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

O Brien working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
O Brien sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaluma tries to reverse the position but O Brien maintains control.
O Brien has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
O Brien controlling his opponent.
O Brien postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kaluma looks a forlorn figure.
O Brien sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Brien lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kaluma is looking to get to half guard.
O Brien controlling from the full mount.
Kaluma on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kaluma tries to get out of the position.
O Brien scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kaluma?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
O Brien tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Donnie O Brien has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie O Brien showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kaluma takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
O Brien throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
O Brien is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kaluma sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kaluma tries to move into range but O Brien moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

O Brien drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
O Brien is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Kaluma prevents O Brien from improving position.
Kaluma tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but O Brien wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

O Brien tries for a kimura but Kaluma is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kaluma is not content to let O Brien control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaluma trying to remain calm as O Brien controls from the top position.
O Brien is looking to take a break and control but Kaluma is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
O Brien in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Donnie O Brien wasn't active enough on the ground.
O Brien misses with the combination.

O Brien shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. O Brien showed some decent athleticism there.
O Brien works his way into side control.
Kaluma is looking to reverse the position.
O Brien just content to control the position.
Kaluma is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, O Brien asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

O Brien thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
O Brien working the ground and pound from side control.
Kaluma is trying to escape the position but O Brien is controlling the position.
O Brien lands a few punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Brien staying calm.
O Brien has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kaluma!
O Brien breaks from Kaluma's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kaluma is looking to improve his position but O Brien isn't that keen on the idea.
Donnie O Brien is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
O Brien controlling the pace for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donnie O Brien comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well O Brien 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donnie O Brien !
Donnie O Brien decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.