PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Valle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Donovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valle comes to the cage accompanied by Green Day - american idiot. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Valle
vs
Donovan

206 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
20
224 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Valle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Donovan!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valle ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Donovan looks gassed!
Valle closes this distance looking for a takedown but Donovan circles away.

Valle shoots in and bounces Donovan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Valle advances position into side control!
Valle is chipping away with strikes.
Valle wants to control but Donovan is keeping him busy.
Valle working the ground and pound from side control.
Valle happy to just control the position for now.
Donovan is looking for a sweep.
Valle lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valle lands an elbow.

Valle stands up.
Valle shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Donovan as he avoids it easily.
Valle moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Valle buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Valle fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Valle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valle throws a right hand that Donovan ducks under and follows up with a left that Donovan also avoids with ease.

Valle scores with a takedown into Donovan's guard.
Donovan being controlled here, momentarily.
Valle stands and throws Donovan's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donovan trying to remain calm as Valle controls from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Donovan gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Valle has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Donovan's face.
Valle with a couple of short strikes.

Valle gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Donovan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mike Donovan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valle rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Donovan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Donovan avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Valle does no damage.
Valle throws a nice looking combination but Donovan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Valle displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Valle shoots in looking for a takedown. Donovan tries to sprawl out of it but Valle keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Donovan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Donovan doesn't manage to clinch there - Valle circles away.

Valle shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Donovan is desperately trying to improve his position but Valle has a good base and remains in mount.
Valle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valle controlling the position easily from mount.
Donovan is trying desperately to improve position.
Valle controlling the pace for now.
Valle can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Donovan is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valle controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Valle dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Valle works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Valle looks for a takedown but Donovan sprawls well.
Donovan misses with a takedown

and Valle counters with a takedown into side control.
Donovan takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Valle has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Valle scores with a leg kick.
Thiago Valle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Valle throws a sloppy head kick and Donovan moves out of range easily.
Donovan wants to clinch.
Valle shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valle shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Donovan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Valle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Donovan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valle keeps working.
Valle is holding on to half guard well.
Ground and pound from Donovan.
Valle wants to improve his position but Donovan is controlling well.
Valle has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Donovan is working away from the top position though.
Valle on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valle is trying to get back to full guard.

Valle makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Valle tries to keep at a distance but Donovan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Donovan tries to pull guard but Valle won't allow it.
Donovan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Donovan fails to pull guard.
Valle is struggling to control the position.

Donovan is fighting off a takedown attempt but Valle is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Donovan to the mat. Donovan regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valle works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Valle has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Valle can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Donovan is looking to escape.

Valle working for a submission but Donovan is keeping him at bay.
Valle can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Donovan is looking to escape.
Donovan is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's four 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.
Valle lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Donovan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Valle controlling from mount.
Donovan is trying to escape the mount.
Valle connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Valle controlling his opponent.
Donovan is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Valle dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Valle doesn't manage to clinch there - Donovan circles away.
Valle shoots and misses

and Donovan counters with a takedown into side control.
Valle struggling a bit here.

Donovan is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Valle has escaped the position, nice work there.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Donovan working the strikes but Valle uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valle works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan won't allow Valle to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valle has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Donovan wants to stand but Valle is controlling his posture from full guard.
Donovan wants to control from the top but Valle keeps moving.
Valle throws a couple of heel strikes.
Donovan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valle is keeping the position for now.
Donovan being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Valle working for a triangle but Donovan defends it easily.
Donovan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Valle works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Donovan trying to control but Valle is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valle throws a series of punches but Donovan avoids them all with ease.
Mike Donovan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A right-left combo lands from Donovan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donovan closes the distance and clinches up with Valle, looking for a takedown. Donovan pushes Valle against the cage but Valle circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Valle lands a head kick!
Valle stalks Donovan and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Donovan's face. Donovan staggers backwards, shaken.
Valle swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Valle shoots in for a double leg but Donovan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Donovan.
Valle wants to control but Donovan postures up.
Valle defending against the ground and pound.
Valle can't do much from the bottom here.
Valle sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donovan trying to mount his opponent but Valle defends it.
Valle is in trouble now - Donovan has advanced to mount!
Donovan lands a big shot there that rocks Valle but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Valle working to try and regain half guard.
Donovan tries to control but Valle wriggling away.
Valle keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Donovan unloading with bombs!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Donovan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Valle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Valle!