PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Liam Donnelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Star Dust (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dust is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: For Heavy Metal we will die!. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Star Dust was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Donnelly
vs
Dust

173 cm
30
150 lbs
26 - 12 - 1

174 cm
34
147 lbs
27 - 16 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Amped Performance
Bullet Proof System

Bullet Proof System
Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Liam Donnelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Star Dust!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donnelly misses with a looping right.
Donnelly cracks Dust with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Donnelly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donnelly tries to counter by clinching up but Dust breaks away and moves out of range.
Donnelly scores with a jab.
Dust looks to score with a jab to the body but Donnelly is just out of range.
Donnelly fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Donnelly is looking to slow Dust down with leg kicks.
Donnelly scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Dust on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Dust has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Donnelly finds it's way round the side to connect with Dust's head.
Dust avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
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 misses the jab.
Dust misses with a head kick.
Dust takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Liam Donnelly seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donnelly connects with the punch.
Donnelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Dust swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dust feints the counter takedown.
Donnelly throws a good cross that connects.
Donnelly throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Dust stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Dust changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Donnelly tries to avoid it but Dust manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Donnelly to the ground. Donnelly escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Donnelly throws a poor cross that misses

and Dust counters with a nice double leg into side control. Donnelly won't be happy with that.
Dust working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Donnelly tries to improve position but can't.
Donnelly manages to work his way to half guard, despite Dust's best efforts.
Donnelly's coaches at Wild Card have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Dust throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dust working over Donnelly with some ground and pound. Donnelly looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dust thows a huge punch but Donnelly dodges it nicely.
Dust scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donnelly wants to control but Dust is keeping busy.
Donnelly keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Dust there.
Dust looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Donnelly regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Dust.
Donnelly looking for a sweep. Not yet Donnelly, not yet.
Donnelly keeping moving, preventing Dust from controlling successfully.
Dust seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Donnelly is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dust trying to control but Donnelly is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dust engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Dust lands a couple of elbows.
Dust is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Dust is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Dust trying to control but Donnelly is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Dust throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Donnelly works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dust content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Donnelly lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Dust has an active guard here but Donnelly has managed to pass into half guard.
Donnelly is trying to control the action in half guard but Dust is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dust has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Dust is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Donnelly's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Donnelly's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Liam Donnelly will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Dust tries a head kick but it misses.
Donnelly is looking for a counter combo.
Donnelly turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Dust stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Donnelly.
A leg kick checked by Dust.
Dust swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Donnelly throws a jab when Dust was well out of range.
Dust missing with a left hand there. Donnelly was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A swing and a miss from Dust.
Dust gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Dust lands a jab to the nose.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donnelly works Dust's body with a nice hook.
Dust needs to keep his hands up - Donnelly had a free shot at his head there.
Dust misses with a hook. Donnelly ducked under it nicely.
Dust takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donnelly lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dust throws a hook to the side of Donnelly's head but Donnelly sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dust misses with a lunging right hand
and Donnelly counters with a nice low kick that buckles Dust's knee momentarily.
Donnelly slips a jab from Dust.
Dust misses the body punch
and Donnelly counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dust tries to bum rush Donnelly with a series of wild strikes but Donnelly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Donnelly connects with a leg kick. Dust looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A jab from Dust finds it's way through Donnelly's defenses.
Dust takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Donnelly throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Dust tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Liam Donnelly is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Donnelly checks a leg kick.
Donnelly throwing a counter right hand but Dust manages to avoid it.
Donnelly throws a lazy head kick
and Donnelly takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dust throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Donnelly swings for the body but Dust moves out of range.
Dust misses the shot to the body.
Donnelly swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Donnelly explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Donnelly misses with an uppercut.
Donnelly scores with a decent looking hook.
Dust dives in for a single leg takedown but Donnelly sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Donnelly just misses with a punch to the body.
A left lands for Donnelly.
Donnelly lands a head shot.
Dust with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Donnelly lands a head kick!

Dust is rocked!
Donnelly thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnelly misses with a looping left.
Donnelly pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Dust takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Dust misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Donnelly to counter with a crisp jab.
Donnelly takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Good leg kick by Dust there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Donnelly goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Sloppy strikes from Dust. Those never looked like landing.
Donnelly lands with a shot to the body.
Liam Donnelly is winning the standup battle so far.
Dust throws a nice outside leg kick.
Donnelly fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donnelly punishes Dust's body with a nice straight punch.
Donnelly is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dust can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donnelly throws a lazy right hand but Dust sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Donnelly smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Donnelly misses with a body shot.
Dust takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Dust shoots in for a takedown but Donnelly shows good takedown defense.
Donnelly avoids the head kick by Dust.
Donnelly scores with a punch to the head.
Donnelly scoring well with a low kick there.
Donnelly pushes Dust away with a front kick.
Dust shoots and misses
and Donnelly counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Liam Donnelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Star Dust.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Donnelly scores with a decent looking hook.
Donnelly fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liam Donnelly dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Dust with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Donnelly to score with a decent uppercut.
Donnelly doesn't manage to clinch there - Dust circles away.
Donnelly catches Dust with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Dust scores with a one two! Donnelly had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Donnelly jabbing away but nothing is landing.
As Donnelly backs off Dust throws a huge counter combo but Donnelly manages to avoid it all.
Donnelly throws a front kick that sends Dust stumbling back into the cage.
Dust has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Dust takes one to the side of the head.

Dust closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Donnelly quickly recovers to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Donnelly is looking to control Dust's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Donnelly avoid being mounted?
Dust lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Donnelly trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dust is looking to take a break and control but Donnelly is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dust thows a huge punch but Donnelly dodges it nicely.
Dust stalling away here and it's allowed Donnelly to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Dust trying to control but Donnelly is working from the bottom.
Dust postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Donnelly is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dust is aware though and is defending well.
Donnelly is trying to control the position but Dust postures up.
Star Dust has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Dust throws a big elbow that misses.

Dust avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Dust looking to sit in guard and control but Donnelly gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Donnelly slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Dust looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Donnelly passes into side control.
Donnelly working the ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnelly lands an elbow.
The referee asks Donnelly politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Donnelly prefers to stall for the moment though.
Donnelly throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Dust tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dust gets back to half guard.
Dust is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Donnelly trying to control the pace.

Dust looking for a kimura from the bottom but Donnelly passes into side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dust regains half guard.

Dust actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Liam Donnelly.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Donnelly, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Liam Donnelly!
An out of breath Liam Donnelly thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.