PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Liam Donnelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Federico Manta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manta has chosen Ultima Corsa by Mondo Marcio as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Donnelly
vs
Manta

173 cm
26
161 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

177 cm
30
162 lbs
20 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System
Sun-Tzu

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 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Liam Donnelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Federico Manta!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manta stuns Donnelly with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Manta misses with an uppercut.
Manta throws a low kick but it's checked well by Donnelly.
Donnelly looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
The fighters circle momentarily. Manta darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Manta throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Donnelly to counter with a crisp jab.
Manta throws the left hand but Donnelly avoids the punch easily.
Donnelly misses the jab.
Manta is trying to counter with his kicks.
Donnelly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Manta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Manta lands with a kick to the temple. Donnelly shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Donnelly checks a leg kick.
Donnelly lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Manta connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Donnelly blocks the body kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Donnelly scores with a nice body kick.

Donnelly tries to sprawl but Manta drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Donnelly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Donnelly actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manta thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Donnelly's head.
Donnelly is refusing to be controlled, as Manta sits in half guard.
Manta not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Manta throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Donnelly to regain full guard.
Manta is in close to Donnelly's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Donnelly had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Manta defends it easily.
Manta wants to control from the top but Donnelly keeps moving.
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.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Donnelly bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Manta's guard.

Donnelly sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Manta's guard.
Donnelly slips a nice elbow through Manta's hands, connecting with Manta's forehead.
Manta looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Donnelly missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Donnelly lands strikes from half guard.
Manta tries to roll over but Donnelly keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnelly thows a huge punch but Manta dodges it nicely.
Donnelly is taking a breather. Manta says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Manta regains full guard. Nicely done.
Manta looking to hit a scissor sweep but Donnelly is one step ahead there.
Donnelly cracks Manta with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Manta keeping moving, preventing Donnelly from controlling successfully.
Donnelly postures up.
Donnelly with a nice head shot there.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Manta is on top in guard.

Donnelly escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Manta gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Manta throws an elbow that misses. Donnelly uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Manta's guard. Nice move by Donnelly!

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

A close round but Federico Manta will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Manta motions for Donnelly to come forward. Manta throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Manta throws a body kick that misses.
Manta paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Donnelly works Manta's body with a nice hook.
Donnelly steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Manta. That one must have hurt.
Donnelly ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Manta moves away.
Donnelly lands a jab to the head.
Donnelly throws a body punch but Manta moves out of range.
Manta lands with a cross.
Donnelly misses with a lunging right hand
and Manta counters with a nice uppercut.
Donnelly takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Manta.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donnelly missing with a left hand there. Manta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Donnelly misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Manta.
Manta throws a big counter head kick but Donnelly avoids it with no problem.
Manta misses with an uppercut. Donnelly saw that one coming.
Donnelly slips under a jab.
Manta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Donnelly moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manta misses with a hook. Donnelly ducked under it nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Donnelly. Manta does a little dance to reset his feet.
Manta throws a body punch but Donnelly moves out of range.
Donnelly moves out of range as Manta throws a body kick.
Donnelly moves out of range of the body kick.
Donnelly misses with a body shot.
Donnelly connects with the punch.
Manta just misses with a punch to the body.
Manta throws a jab but it's blocked by Donnelly.
Donnelly lands a jab to the nose.
Manta misses with an uppercut.
Donnelly appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Manta is looking to land body kicks.
Manta keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Donnelly.
Manta bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Donnelly's head.
A head kick misses from Manta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Manta misses.
Manta thuds his shin into the meat of Donnelly's side.
Donnelly throws a head kick that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Manta with a jab.
Nice defenses there by Donnelly.
Federico Manta seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Manta on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Manta misses with a kick to the body.
Donnelly sizes up Manta with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Manta pivots, looking for a leg kick but Donnelly is out of range and Manta settles back down.

Donnelly gets a clinch.
Donnelly blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Donnelly lands with a short shot to the head.
Manta scores with a shot to the side of Donnelly's head.
Manta blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Manta blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Manta blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manta has a couple of punches blocked by Donnelly.
Manta comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Liam Donnelly has been cut.
Manta blocks a punch to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Donnelly.
Manta throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Donnelly lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Manta's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Manta tries a body shot but Donnelly blocks it.
Donnelly blocking some punches.
Donnelly lands with a light punch inside.
Manta misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Donnelly.
Donnelly misses with some punches.
Donnelly tries a body shot but Manta blocks it.
Manta tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Donnelly's elbow.
Manta's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Manta misses with the head strike.
Manta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Manta.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Donnelly throws a punch but it's blocked by Manta.
The referee calls for Manta to work.
Liam Donnelly has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Manta misses with some punches.
Donnelly has a couple of punches blocked by Manta.
A left hand lands to the body for Manta.
Donnelly swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Manta blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Donnelly lands a right hand.
Donnelly goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Donnelly blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Manta working aggressively here.
Manta misses with a punch on the inside.
Donnelly lands with a light punch inside.
Donnelly tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Manta's elbow.
A hook to the body from Manta.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Federico Manta will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Liam Donnelly's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

The fighters circle momentarily. Manta darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Donnelly's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Manta connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Donnelly scrambles back to his feet.
Donnelly connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Donnelly takes a swing at Manta's ribcage but misses.
Manta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Manta misses with a head kick.
Donnelly pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Good leg kick by Donnelly there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Manta lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Donnelly misses with an uppercut.
Donnelly displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Manta throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manta lands with a slapping head kick.
A head kick misses from Manta.
It looked like Donnelly wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Donnelly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manta throws out a loose jab but Donnelly uses good head movement to avoid it.
No joy there for Manta, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manta misses with a left hand
and Donnelly cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Donnelly takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Donnelly with a jab.
Donnelly scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Manta throws a quick inside leg kick.
Donnelly connects with a good straight punch right through the guard and follows up with a right hook and a left hook! That last one sent Manta tumbling to the canvas! Donnelly pours on the pressure with more strikes and the referee has no hesitation diving in to stop the fight! Manta was done - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Liam Donnelly!
Liam Donnelly was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.