PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cayden Donovan (ranked 1168 p4p, 1979 weight class) and Luigi Bonifacio (ranked 142 p4p, 225 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Bonifacio 's choice of entrance music: Karate - Kennedy. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Donovan
vs
Bonifacio

175 cm
22
150
7 - 4 - 0

184 cm
30
163
7 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cayden Donovan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luigi Bonifacio !
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Phil Schofield and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bonifacio thuds his right hand into Donovan's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Donovan takes a swing at Bonifacio 's ribcage but misses.
Bonifacio looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Bonifacio keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donovan misses with a wild body shot.
Cayden Donovan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Donovan misses with a hook
and Bonifacio counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Donovan throws a body punch but Bonifacio moves out of range.
Bonifacio throws a lazy right hand but Donovan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bonifacio swinging wildly here.
Bonifacio cracks Donovan with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Donovan looks to score with a jab to the body but Bonifacio is just out of range.
Donovan comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Donovan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bonifacio .
Donovan seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Donovan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bonifacio was well out of range. Poor timing from Donovan.
Donovan throws a body punch but Bonifacio moves out of range.
Bonifacio throws out a counter right but Donovan avoids it with no problem.
Donovan throws a body shot but no joy.
Bonifacio misses with a hook.
Bonifacio looks to score with a jab to the body but Donovan is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Bonifacio scores with a four punch combination!
Donovan tries to clinch there but Bonifacio circles away.
Bonifacio defending well as Donovan loads up on a big left hand.
Donovan slips a straight right by Bonifacio .

Donovan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Bonifacio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Donovan. Bonifacio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Donovan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bonifacio .
Bonifacio pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Donovan back to the cage. Bonifacio follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Donovan clinches with his opponent.
Bonifacio scores with a shoulder strike.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Donovan tries to work over Bonifacio 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short uppercut from Donovan.
Donovan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bonifacio avoiding damage as Donovan throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Donovan.
Our sources have told us that Donovan has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Donovan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Donovan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Donovan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bonifacio is defending well for now.
Donovan misses with a punch to the body.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Bonifacio blocks an uppercut.
Donovan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Donovan tries to throw a body punch but Bonifacio avoids it by throwing Donovan back against the cage.
Donovan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bonifacio blocks the elbow strike.
Donovan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Bonifacio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Donovan misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donovan lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bonifacio backwards.
Bonifacio wants to break the clinch but can't.
Donovan can't find room to land a body shot as Bonifacio controls the action.
Donovan utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Nice body punch from Donovan.

Bonifacio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Donovan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bonifacio moves away.
Donovan misses with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Donovan. Bonifacio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Donovan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bonifacio misses with a wild body shot.
A quick step to the side and Donovan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Donovan misses with a lunging right hand
and Bonifacio counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Donovan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bonifacio counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Donovan fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonifacio connects with a right hand. Donovan shakes it off.
Donovan misses with a wild body shot.
It seemed like Bonifacio was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Donovan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bonifacio avoids the body shot from Donovan.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bonifacio misses with a looping right.
Bonifacio ducks under a wild hook from Donovan.
Donovan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bonifacio manages to avoid it.
Bonifacio is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Donovan.
Donovan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bonifacio circles away quickly and effectively.
Bonifacio misses with a looping left.
Donovan cracks Bonifacio with a good jab.
Bonifacio throws a hook but Donovan avoids it easily.
Donovan is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bonifacio .
Bonifacio takes a swing at Donovan's ribcage but misses.
Bonifacio ducks under a wild hook from Donovan.
Bonifacio fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Donovan manages to avoid it.
Donovan misses the shot to the body.
Donovan tries to clinch there but Bonifacio circles away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Cayden Donovan will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Donovan tests Bonifacio 's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Donovan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bonifacio moves away.
Donovan lands a head shot.
Bonifacio lands a jab to Donovan's midsection.
Donovan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donovan wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Bonifacio looks to score with a jab to the body but Donovan is just out of range.
Bonifacio misses with an uppercut. Donovan saw that one coming.
Donovan swings for the body but Bonifacio moves out of range.
Bonifacio looks to land a right hand but Donovan moved out of range.
Bonifacio throws a body shot but no joy.
Donovan throws out a loose jab but Bonifacio uses good head movement to avoid it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bonifacio ! But no joy.
Bonifacio thuds a left hand into Donovan's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bonifacio takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Donovan tries to clinch but Bonifacio is having none of it.

Donovan closes the distance and clinches.
Donovan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Donovan misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Donovan misses with a body punch.
Bonifacio tries a body shot but Donovan blocks it.
Donovan lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Donovan missing with knees to the body.
Donovan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Donovan works on Bonifacio 's body with a couple of short punches.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Donovan struggles to land a body shot inside as Bonifacio controls his hands.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bonifacio .
Donovan lands with a left to the head.
Donovan unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bonifacio avoiding damage as Donovan throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Donovan.
Bonifacio effectively controlling the action here.
Donovan misses with a punch to the body.
Donovan misses with a punch to the body.
Donovan trying to land knees to the body.

Bonifacio breaks from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bonifacio throws a one two combo.
Bonifacio misses with a double jab.
Bonifacio takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Donovan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bonifacio moves away.
Donovan lands a jab to Bonifacio 's midsection.
Donovan misses with a wild body shot.
Donovan misses with a body shot
and Bonifacio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Donovan on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonifacio tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Donovan was well out of range. Poor timing from Bonifacio .
A jab from Bonifacio misses.
Bonifacio misses with a wild combination.
Bonifacio throws a hook to the side of Donovan's head but Donovan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Donovan throws a body punch but Bonifacio moves out of range.
Bonifacio throws a hook but Donovan avoids it easily.
Bonifacio keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bonifacio swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Donovan is looking to wear down Bonifacio with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Donovan misses with a shot to the body
enabling Bonifacio to counter with a crisp jab.
Donovan throws a body punch but Bonifacio moves out of range.

Donovan closes the distance and clinches.
Bonifacio looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Donovan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Donovan lands a nice elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bonifacio 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bonifacio swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bonifacio takes a swing at Donovan's ribcage but misses.
Donovan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Donovan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bonifacio was well out of range. Poor timing from Donovan.
Donovan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bonifacio .
Donovan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bonifacio looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
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!
A left lands for Donovan.
Donovan throws a shot to the body.
Donovan misses with a right hand
and Bonifacio counters with a nice uppercut.
Bonifacio lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bonifacio takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Donovan misses the shot to the body.
Bonifacio moves out of range of the strikes.
As Donovan backs off Bonifacio throws a huge counter combo but Donovan manages to avoid it all.
A looping hook to the body misses from Donovan. Bonifacio does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cayden Donovan dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bonifacio misses with a hook.
Donovan scores with a shot to the body.
Bonifacio misses with a body shot.
Bonifacio just misses with a punch to the body.
Luigi Bonifacio seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Donovan tries to clinch up.
Donovan uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bonifacio has time to react.
Donovan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Donovan is looking to clinch but Bonifacio is avoiding it.
Bonifacio scores with a shot to the body.
Donovan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bonifacio throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bonifacio misses with a straight left.
Donovan looks to score with a jab to the body but Bonifacio is just out of range.
A combination from Donovan does no damage.
Donovan gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Donovan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Donovan misses the jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Donovan. Bonifacio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Donovan throws a body punch but Bonifacio moves out of range.
Donovan looks to score with a jab to the body but Bonifacio is just out of range.
Bonifacio throws a body shot but no joy.
Bonifacio takes a swing at Donovan's ribcage but misses.
Donovan misses with a wild body shot.
Bonifacio ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Donovan takes a jab right on the kisser.
Bonifacio avoids the body shot from Donovan.
Donovan misses with a shot to the body
and Bonifacio counters with a nice body shot.

Donovan pushes Bonifacio up against the cage in a clinch.
Donovan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bonifacio is defending well for now.
Donovan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bonifacio avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donovan struggles to land a body shot inside as Bonifacio controls his hands.
Bonifacio has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Bonifacio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bonifacio lands a nice shot to the body.
Donovan on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Bonifacio throws a series of punches but Donovan avoids them all with ease.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bonifacio just misses with a punch to the body.
Bonifacio scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Donovan lands a slapping body shot.
Bonifacio swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Donovan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bonifacio moves away.
Donovan doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Bonifacio . Those never looked like landing.
A quick step to the side and Donovan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Donovan lands a nice shot to the body.
A jab from Bonifacio does it's job there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonifacio lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Donovan at a distance.
A lazy left from Donovan finds it's target.
Donovan moves into range and connects with a jab.
Donovan throws a hook to the side of Bonifacio 's head but Bonifacio sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Donovan moves into the clinch.
Donovan prevents Bonifacio from breaking the clinch.
Bonifacio has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Donovan seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Bonifacio can turn it around.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Donovan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bonifacio avoids it.
Luigi Bonifacio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Donovan obliges.
Donovan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bonifacio 's elbow.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Bonifacio prevents a body shot from Donovan.
Donovan lands a nice knee to the body.
Cayden Donovan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Donovan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donovan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bonifacio 's elbow.
Bonifacio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Donovan tries a body shot but Bonifacio blocks it.
Donovan misses with a punch to the body.
Bonifacio tries to circle away but Donovan has him pinned against the cage.
Donovan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bonifacio avoids it.
Bonifacio wants to get back to striking at distance but Donovan won't allow it.
Bonifacio can't break the clinch.
Donovan throws a head punch that misses.
Donovan blocking some punches.
Donovan lands a hook that snaps the head of Bonifacio backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Donovan throws a punch but it's blocked by Bonifacio .

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 Cayden Donovan.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Donovan, 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cayden Donovan!
A very excited looking Cayden Donovan made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Luigi Bonifacio was interviewed post fight and said 'I am the BEST!'.