PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Raymond Donde (ranked 2776 p4p, 0 weight class) and EA Poe (ranked 2167 p4p, 252 weight class). Poe has chosen Unleashing The Bloodthirsty by Cannibal Corpse as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Raymond Donde has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Raymond Donde seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Donde
vs
Poe

180 cm
27
155 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

181 cm
44
159 lbs
28 - 25 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymond Donde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 25 - 0, fighting out of New York, EA Poe!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jorge Garcia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poe blocks a leg kick.

Donde dives in and scores a takedown into Poe's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Poe is on top in guard.

Donde keeping moving, preventing Poe from controlling successfully.
Poe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poe trying to control but Donde is working from the bottom.

Donde looking for a guillotine here but Poe defends easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donde looking to hit a scissor sweep but Poe is one step ahead there.
Poe trying to control the position from guard on top but Donde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe looking to sit in guard and control but Donde gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Donde is pushing down on Poe's leg trying to pass to half guard. Poe is fighting to maintain full guard but Donde has managed to sneak the leg through.
Poe tries to get to full guard but Donde has control of the leg.
Poe moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Poe trying to keep a closed guard but Donde is proving a slippery customer.

Poe had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Donde defends it easily.

Donde drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Donde jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Donde wants to pass the guard but Poe is keeping the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Poe is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Poe drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Poe jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Poe wants to control from the top but Donde keeps moving.
Donde is looking to sweep but instead, Poe has passed into half guard.
Donde tries to roll over but Poe keeps him under control.
Poe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Donde keeps working.
Donde makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Donde.
Poe stopping the sweep attempt from Donde.
Poe trying to control but Donde is working from the bottom.
Poe is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donde keeping full guard, as Poe tries to pass.
Poe controlling from the top position.
Poe trying to control the position from guard on top but Donde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Donde keeping full guard, as Poe tries to pass.

Poe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Donde is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Donde is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Poe looking to pass the guard.
My spies in Touch Of Death Combat Academy inform me that Poe has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

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.
Poe stopping the sweep attempt from Donde.
Poe working some strikes from top position.
Donde keeping moving, preventing Poe from controlling successfully.
Poe preventing the sweep.
Donde is working hard here to advance position.

Donde isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Poe stacks Donde on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Poe!
Poe trying to control the action but Donde is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Donde is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
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 Raymond Donde will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Poe avoids the head kick by Donde.
Poe is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Poe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Donde is trying to get back to full guard.

Donde is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Poe pulls his head out easily.

Donde actively working from the bottom here.
Donde wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poe trying to control the action but Donde is working from the bottom.

Poe is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Donde defends it well.
Donde wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe controlling the action here.
Donde wants to improve his position but Poe is controlling well.

Donde is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Poe pulls his head out easily.
Poe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Donde looking for submissions off his back.

Poe is working for a submission of some sort.

Poe is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Donde doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Poe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Poe is keen to just control but Donde is a slippery customer.
Poe seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Poe wants to work for an arm triangle but Donde is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Poe is looking for a kimura but Donde is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Poe to get the leverage.
Poe lands strikes from half guard.
Poe wants to control but Donde is keeping him busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Poe in particular looking to stall.
Donde tries to roll over but Poe keeps him under control.
Donde is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Poe's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Poe's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Donde looking for the choke from the back.

Poe is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Donde gets his way!
Poe tries to break free.
Poe is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Donde tightening his grip on Poe, looking for the choke.

Poe fending off the submission attempt from Donde.

Donde looking for the choke from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Poe's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Poe wants to control his opponent's hands but Donde gets his hands free.
Poe wants to escape the position.

Donde patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Donde looking for the choke but no joy.

Donde is looking for the choke from the back position but Poe is controlling his hands well.
Donde avoiding Poe 's attempts to control his hands.

Poe fending off the submission attempt from Donde.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Donde is persistently looking for the submission but Poe is defending it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Donde dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Donde closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Poe's guard.
Poe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Donde manages to get himself to full guard.

Donde has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Poe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Poe trying to control but Donde is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Donde is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Donde throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Poe preventing the sweep.

Donde escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Poe gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Raymond Donde overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Donde keeping moving, preventing Poe from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Poe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Poe trying to control but Donde is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Poe stopping the sweep attempt from Donde.
Poe trying to control the position from guard on top but Donde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poe controls from within his opponent's guard.
EA Poe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Donde bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Poe's guard.

Poe looking to hit a scissor sweep but Donde is one step ahead there.

Donde thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donde trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Poe wants to sweep but no luck.

Poe throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Donde wants to pass the guard but Poe is keeping the position.
Poe controls Donde momentarily but Donde frees himself.
Donde trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Donde preventing the sweep.
Donde tries to free his leg and advance position but Poe is retaining full guard.
Poe wants to sweep but no luck.
Raymond Donde is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Donde forces his way into half guard.
Poe is looking to improve his position.
Donde wants to take a breather but Poe is having none of it.
Poe is looking for a sweep. Donde is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Donde is trying to control. Poe wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Donde content to control rather than advance.
Poe is looking to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Donde seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Poe regains full guard. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raymond Donde showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Donde has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raymond Donde!
Raymond Donde 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.