PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Edward Mills (ranked 977 p4p, 2108 weight class) and Donnie Larkin (ranked 137 p4p, 331 weight class). Mills's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Rock the Dragon. Dragonball Z. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mills
vs
Larkin

182 cm
29
183
14 - 18 - 2

181 cm
40
188
26 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 18 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edward Mills!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Donnie Larkin!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Larkin moves into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mills tries to throw a body punch but Larkin avoids it by throwing Mills back against the cage.
Mills misses with some punches.
Mills tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Larkin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mills doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Larkin fails to land.
Mills prevents the takedown attempt.
Larkin stops a takedown attempt from Mills.
Mills struggles to land a body shot inside as Larkin controls his hands.
Mills misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mills can't find room to land a body shot as Larkin controls the action.
A bit of stalling here from Mills.

Larkin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Larkin manages to end up in side control.
Mills struggling a bit here.
Mills is letting Larkin control him for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Larkin has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Mills wants to control but Larkin postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larkin controls the position.
Larkin working away.
Larkin just content to control the position.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Larkin.
Larkin working away.
Mills tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Larkin working away.
Larkin cracks Mills with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Mills struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mills tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Larkin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Larkin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mills knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Larkin trying to control the position but Mills is working away.
Larkin is staying tight to Mills's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Larkin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Mills is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mills is working hard here to advance position.
Larkin controls the position.
Mills tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Larkin just content to control the position.
Mills can't do much from the bottom here.
Larkin content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Yet more stalling tactics from Larkin.
My spies in Steel Penn Training Den inform me that Larkin 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.
Larkin is putting a hurting on Mills here, landing some big shots from side control.
Larkin slows the pace down.
Larkin working away.
Mills is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Larkin working the head and body with strikes.
Mills is letting Larkin control him for a moment.

Larkin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mills knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mills tries to improve position but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mills throws a right and a left that Larkin avoids nicely.
Mills throws a sloppy head kick and Larkin moves out of range easily.

Larkin moves into the clinch.
Mills is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Larkin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mills tries a body shot but Larkin blocks it.
Mills trying to stall but Larkin improves his position.
Mills tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Larkin's elbow.

Larkin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Larkin manages to end up in side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Mills struggling a bit here.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Mills tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Larkin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larkin moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
You can see the frustration on Mills's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mills tries to bench press Larkin off him but Larkin keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Larkin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
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Mills is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Larkin taking a breather here.
Larkin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mills keeps working.

Larkin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mills has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mills isn't going anywhere.
Mills is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Larkin is controlling him well.
Larkin is looking to take a break and control but Mills is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larkin working the ground and pound from side control.
Larkin working away.
Donnie Larkin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Larkin misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Mills can't do much from the bottom here.
Mills being controlled for a moment.
Mills is trying to get back to half guard.
Larkin is looking to take a break and control but Mills is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mills is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
More stalling from Larkin.
Mills tries to bench press Larkin off him but Larkin keeps the position.
Larkin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Larkin works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Larkin controlling the position from side mount.
Mills struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Larkin controlling the position from side mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie Larkin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

Larkin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mills is trying to defend but Larkin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Mills wants to stand back up but Larkin manages to pass into side control.
Larkin trying to control the position but Mills is working away.
Larkin landing strikes.
Mills tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mills holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Mills is letting Larkin control him for a moment.
Larkin wants to control but Mills is keeping him busy.

Larkin tries for a kimura but Mills is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Mills's face as Larkin controls the position.
Larkin working the ground and pound.
Larkin happy to just control the position for now.
Larkin is continuing to stall.
Larkin trying to control the position but Mills is working away.
Larkin might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mills haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Mills is trying to control Larkin's posture but Larkin avoids it.
Larkin content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mills holds on to Larkin's head and controls the position momentarily.
Larkin controlling from side mount.
Larkin lands an elbow.
Mills tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mills struggling a bit here.
Larkin wants to control but Mills is keeping him busy.
Mills manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larkin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Larkin slips a nice elbow through Mills's hands, connecting with Mills's forehead.
Larkin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Larkin passes the guard and advances to mount!
Mills tries to hold on but Larkin postures up.
Larkin content just to control the position here.
Mills tries to lock up and control but Larkin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Larkin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Donnie Larkin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mills wants to control but Larkin is having none of it.
Mills is looking to improve his position but Larkin isn't that keen on the idea.
Larkin controlling from mount.
Mills in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Edward Mills has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Larkin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mills wants to control but Larkin is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donnie Larkin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Larkin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donnie Larkin!
In his post fight interview, Donnie Larkin started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.