PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Salvatore Alvaretti (ranked 4114 p4p, 407 weight class) and Eli McDonell (ranked 7368 p4p, 484 weight class). McDonell is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Metal Gear Solid - Duel . These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Alvaretti
vs
McDonell

180 cm
25
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Salvatore Alvaretti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Eli McDonell!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Kavanagh and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvaretti tries to clinch up.
Alvaretti wants to clinch.
Nice defenses there by Alvaretti.
McDonell uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Alvaretti has time to react.
Alvaretti just misses with a punch to the body.
Alvaretti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McDonell.
An inside leg kick from McDonell misses.
McDonell throws a body shot but no joy.
Alvaretti avoids the head kick by McDonell.
Alvaretti throws a big counter combination but McDonell scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
McDonell lands a nice leg kick that just misses Alvaretti's sensitive parts.
McDonell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alvaretti tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McDonell was well out of range. Poor timing from Alvaretti.
We've been told by Alvaretti's head coaches at Cozad MMA Tokyo that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvaretti wants to clinch.
Alvaretti tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McDonell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alvaretti throws a jab but it's blocked by McDonell.
Alvaretti tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. McDonell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvaretti ducks under a wild hook from McDonell.
McDonell fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alvaretti manages to avoid it.
McDonell keeps the fight on the outside.

Alvaretti fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with McDonell, pushing him back against the cage.
Alvaretti wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but McDonell has him pressed against the cage.
McDonell lands with a light punch inside.
McDonell lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
McDonell lands a shot to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McDonell.
McDonell lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Still in the clinch, McDonell scores with a nice short uppercut.
Alvaretti tries to break free but McDonell pushes him back against the cage.
A short body shot lands from McDonell as the two fighters clinch.
Alvaretti is breathing heavily.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, McDonell creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

McDonell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McDonell avoids a punch combination nicely.
A shot to the liver by McDonell. Beautiful body shot.
Alvaretti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from McDonell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvaretti tries to clinch but McDonell is having none of it.
McDonell lands a body shot.
A head kick misses from McDonell.
Alvaretti is looking to clinch but McDonell is avoiding it.
Alvaretti is looking to clinch.
McDonell lands a leg kick that knocks Alvaretti off balance momentarily.
McDonell fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Alvaretti looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
McDonell connects with a nice looking jab.
McDonell misses with a low kick.
McDonell missing with a left hand there. Alvaretti was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A big left from McDonell misses.
Alvaretti moves in looking to clinch but McDonell pushes him off.
Alvaretti fails with an attempt to clinch.
McDonell connects with a body shot.
McDonell throws a leg kick which misses Alvaretti's front leg but catches the back leg as Alvaretti tries to avoid it.
McDonell scoring well with a low kick there.
McDonell moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
McDonell chopping away at his opponent's legs.
McDonell connects with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Alvaretti 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McDonell, right into the meat.
McDonell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alvaretti sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McDonell scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
McDonell misses with a hook.
Alvaretti lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
McDonell jabs Alvaretti right on the nose. Alvaretti blinks but takes it well.
McDonell throws a lazy right hand but Alvaretti sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Alvaretti tries to clinch there but McDonell circles away.
Alvaretti tries to close the distance and clinch up but McDonell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alvaretti misses with a leg kick
and McDonell counters with a nice uppercut.
McDonell lands a nice looking body shot.
McDonell cracks Alvaretti with an open hand slap.
A lazy left from McDonell finds it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McDonell buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
McDonell throws a nice outside leg kick.
Alvaretti tries to clinch but McDonell moves out of range.
Alvaretti wants to clinch up but McDonell keeps it at a distance.
McDonell swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Alvaretti tries to close the distance and clinch but McDonell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvaretti wants to clinch.
McDonell throws a leg kick which misses Alvaretti's front leg but catches the back leg as Alvaretti tries to avoid it.
Alvaretti throws a right hand that McDonell ducks under and follows up with a left that McDonell also avoids with ease.
McDonell looks like he wants to counter punch here.
McDonell has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Alvaretti is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Alvaretti takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Alvaretti tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and McDonell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
McDonell tries a head kick but it misses.
McDonell jabs at Alvaretti's body.
A nice leg kick lands there from McDonell.
McDonell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Alvaretti.
Alvaretti is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Alvaretti wants to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alvaretti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McDonell.
Alvaretti appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli McDonell dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Alvaretti takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
McDonell misses with an uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Alvaretti. Those never looked like landing.
Alvaretti avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McDonell goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Alvaretti ducks under a wild hook from McDonell.
Alvaretti tries to counter by clinching up but McDonell breaks away and moves out of range.
McDonell scores with a hook to the body. Alvaretti takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Alvaretti moves out of range of the body kick.
McDonell cracks a nice hook into Alvaretti's ribs.
McDonell throws a hook to the side of Alvaretti's head but Alvaretti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A big left from McDonell misses.
McDonell misses the jab.
McDonell scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McDonell checks a low kick from Alvaretti.
Alvaretti ducks under a wild hook from McDonell.
Alvaretti moves in looking to clinch but McDonell pushes him off.
Alvaretti looks to land a combination but McDonell avoids it well.
Alvaretti on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by McDonell. McDonell obviously looking to wear him down.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McDonell misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDonell lands with a shot to the body.
Alvaretti moves out of range as McDonell strikes.
Alvaretti is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from McDonell.
Alvaretti shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Alvaretti moves out of range as McDonell strikes.
Alvaretti fails to land with a series of punches.
Alvaretti tries to clinch there but McDonell circles away.
McDonell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Alvaretti tries to clinch but McDonell moves out of range.
McDonell connects with a body shot.
McDonell scores with a jab to the body.
Alvaretti takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvaretti walks into a straight right hand from McDonell.
Alvaretti tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Alvaretti throws a wild body kick that McDonell sees coming a mile off.
McDonell lands a head shot.
Alvaretti is looking to clinch.
McDonell throws a chopping leg kick but Alvaretti manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
McDonell stuns Alvaretti with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Alvaretti shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvaretti doesn't manage to clinch there - McDonell circles away.
McDonell throws a good cross that connects.
McDonell scores with a nice body kick.
McDonell scores with a nice head shot.
McDonell jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Alvaretti moves out of range of the strikes.
Alvaretti darts in trying to clinch
and McDonell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Alvaretti tries to clinch up but McDonell circles away and keeps his distance.
McDonell lands a slapping body shot.
McDonell looks to land a right hand but Alvaretti moved out of range.
McDonell throws a leg kick which misses Alvaretti's front leg but catches the back leg as Alvaretti tries to avoid it.
Alvaretti steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McDonell.
Alvaretti is looking to clinch but McDonell is avoiding it.
McDonell scores with a leg kick.
Alvaretti throws a leg kick that is checked
and McDonell counters with a straight right hand.
McDonell lands with a good body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvaretti tries to clinch up but McDonell circles away and keeps his distance.
Alvaretti throws a predictable looking body shot
and McDonell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McDonell, right into the meat.

Alvaretti has taken the fight to the clinch.
A body shot lands from McDonell.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McDonell.
McDonell lands with a short punch from the clinch.
McDonell scores with a shot to the side of Alvaretti's head.

Alvaretti is rocked!
McDonell lands a left hand.
Oh Alvaretti is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

McDonell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alvaretti tries to move into range but McDonell moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
McDonell comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A slapping leg kick lands for McDonell.
Jab from McDonell.
McDonell cracks Alvaretti with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Alvaretti falls to his knees and McDonell doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Eli McDonell!
In his post fight interview, Eli McDonell started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.