PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cleo Haney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nonito Donaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Haney
vs
Donaire

206 cm
24
178 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

181 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cleo Haney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nonito Donaire!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Donaire clinches up with Haney and pushes him back against the cage.

Haney pulls guard effortlessly.
Haney is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Haney throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Donaire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Haney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Haney is working for a submission of some sort.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donaire flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haney stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Donaire to get to his feet.
Donaire dives in for a single leg takedown but Haney sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Haney missing with knees to the body.
Donaire is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Haney misses with some punches.

Haney manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Haney tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Donaire wants to get up but he can't break Haney's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Haney looking to hit a scissor sweep but Donaire is one step ahead there.
Haney is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haney wants to sweep here but Donaire controlling him for the moment.
Haney trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donaire sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Haney fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Donaire to the ground. Haney is now in Donaire's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Donaire looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Haney passes into side control.

Haney stands up.
Donaire looks winded!
Haney fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Donaire avoids it really well and circles away.
Haney tries for a takedown but Donaire circles away easily
and Donaire makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Donaire with a lazy takedown attempt
and Haney makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Donaire really felt that one!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Donaire.
Cleo Haney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Donaire.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donaire has his takedown stuffed

and Haney counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Haney has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Donaire uses from the top position.
Haney manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Donaire manages to get himself to full guard.

Donaire avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Donaire really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Haney. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Haney landing some decent shots from guard.

Haney gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Haney fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleo Haney 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.

No luck for Haney with that takedown attempt.
Donaire pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Haney moves into the clinch.

Haney jumps guard and drags Donaire to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Donaire wants to control from the top but Haney keeps moving.
Donaire preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Haney is on top in guard.

Haney with a flurry of punches that miss.
Donaire is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haney landing with the ground and pound.
Haney throws a big right hand that misses.
Haney 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.

Haney decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Donaire drives through and clinches with Haney against the cage.
Donaire goes for a takedown in the clinch but Haney prevents it.
Haney unloads a knee to the mid-section. Donaire lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Haney tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Donaire avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donaire avoiding damage as Haney throws knees to the body.
Donaire can't break the clinch.
Haney tries to pull guard but Donaire forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Haney really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Haney decides to pull guard.
Haney looking for a sweep. Not yet Haney, not yet.

Haney pushes Donaire off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Haney has Donaire up against the cage in a clinch.
Haney is trying to pull guard but Donaire has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cleo Haney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Haney taking a breather.
Haney landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Haney is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Donaire can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Haney decides to pull guard.

Haney wriggles free and stands up.
Donaire stuffs the takedown attempt from Haney. Haney gets slowly back to his feet.

Donaire takes the fight into the clinch.
Haney taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Haney tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Donaire smiles and moves away.
Haney looks for a takedown but Donaire sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donaire gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Haney makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Donaire really felt that one!

Haney gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Haney misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Donaire.
Haney jumps guard but Donaire turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Haney prevents Donaire from breaking the clinch.
Haney using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Haney drags the fight down to the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Haney trying to control the position.
Donaire looking to sit in guard and control but Haney gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleo Haney dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Donaire stuffs the takedown attempt from Haney. Haney gets slowly back to his feet.

Donaire shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Haney is looking to control Donaire's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Haney avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haney trying to get back to full guard but Donaire takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Donaire takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Haney slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donaire trying to control from Haney's half guard. Haney has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Haney trying to keep a closed guard but Donaire is proving a slippery customer.
Haney tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cleo Haney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Haney controls Donaire momentarily but Donaire frees himself.
Donaire must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Donaire won't allow Haney to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Donaire wanted to stand there but Haney had control of the position.
Donaire wants to control from the top but Haney keeps moving.
Donaire working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A head kick by Donaire misses
and Haney counters with a low kick, right behind Donaire 's knee.
Donaire throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cleo Haney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haney closes this distance looking for a takedown but Donaire circles away.
Haney tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Donaire manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Haney gets tackled into the cage by Donaire. Donaire maintains the clinch.
Haney pushes Donaire back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Haney pulls guard successfully.
Haney has a closed guard, preventing Donaire from standing up.
Haney is adopting a defensive guard.
Haney tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donaire trying to control the position from guard on top but Haney is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Donaire preventing the sweep.
Haney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Haney is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Haney is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Donaire has managed to free his arm - good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nonito Donaire.
I think Haney has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cleo Haney!