PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Dash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nonito Donnaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Donnaire is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by I'm Ready. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Dash
vs
Donnaire

178 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stephen Dash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nonito Donnaire!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dash darts in and clinches Donnaire up against the cage.
Dash prevents the takedown attempt.
Donnaire wants a takedown but no success here.
Dash pushes off an throws an elbow but Donnaire leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Dash gets underhooks to prevent Donnaire's takedown attempt.
Stephen Dash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Donnaire.
Donnaire is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Dash gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Dash jumps guard and drags Donnaire to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Dash looking to hit a scissor sweep but Donnaire is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donnaire is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Dash looking to control.
Donnaire pushes down on Dash's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Donnaire tries to pass to full mount but Dash defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donnaire takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Dash trying to control but Donnaire postures up.
Donnaire sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Dash feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Dash landing some decent shots from guard.
Dash really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Dash sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Let's hope that Donnaire 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.
Dash trying to control the position from guard on top but Donnaire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Stephen Dash.
Dash shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dash looks for a takedown but Donnaire sprawls well.
Donnaire shoots for a double leg takedown but Dash sprawls well. He's pushed Donnaire's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire blocks a head kick by Dash.
Dash is breathing heavily.
Dash throws a wild body kick that Donnaire sees coming a mile off.
Donnaire shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Dash counters with a single leg into guard. Donnaire didn't expect that.
Donnaire thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Donnaire is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dash defends well.
Donnaire is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Donnaire throwing short punches from the bottom.

Dash is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Donnaire is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Donnaire has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire stays in close to Dash's body and controls the position.

Dash throws his legs up looking for a submission but Donnaire uses it to pass to side control.
A lull in the action here as Donnaire stalls from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Donnaire gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Dash holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Dash gets control of Donnaire's arms and successfully pulls guard. Dash will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Dash is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dash keeping full guard, as Donnaire tries to pass.
Dash is looking to sweep but instead, Donnaire has passed into half guard.
Dash is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Donnaire is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donnaire frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Donnaire sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Donnaire's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Nonito Donnaire hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Dash tries to clinch up.
Dash stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dash wants it to stay on the feet.
Donnaire shoots in for a takedown but Dash shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stephen Dash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Donnaire.
Donnaire keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Donnaire has his takedown stuffed

and Dash counters with a shoot takedown. Donnaire fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire pulls Dash in to control the position.

Donnaire is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dash is aware though and is defending well.
Dash postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Donnaire pulls Dash in close to his closed guard and prevents Dash from doing any damage or advancing position.
Donnaire trying to keep a closed guard but Dash is proving a slippery customer.
Donnaire wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Donnaire is looking to sweep but instead, Dash has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire trying to control from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nonito Donnaire.
A decent looking cross lands there for Dash.
Donnaire has his takedown stuffed
and Dash counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Donnaire thinking.

Dash closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Donnaire quickly recovers to half guard.
Donnaire is trying to control but can't.
Donnaire is controlling Dash's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Donnaire is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Donnaire avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dash.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Dash dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dash misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Donnaire gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Dash counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Donnaire!

Dash jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Donnaire manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Donnaire is trying to improve his position.
Donnaire wants to control but Dash postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Donnaire has one of Dash's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dash wants to lay and pray for a moment but Donnaire keeps working.
Dash is really struggling to control Donnaire but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Stephen Dash overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No luck for Donnaire with that takedown attempt.
Dash misses with a takedown attempt

and Donnaire decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dash's guard.
Donnaire looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Donnaire postures up in Dash's guard and throws a big left but Dash blocks it.
Donnaire controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nonito Donnaire.
Donnaire shoots in for a takedown but Dash shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stephen Dash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Donnaire.
Dash closes the distance and clinches up with Donnaire, looking for a takedown. Dash pushes Donnaire against the cage but Donnaire circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nonito Donnaire seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donnaire tries to score a power double leg takedown but Dash sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Donnaire somewhat.

Dash scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Dash trying to control from half guard but Donnaire is working away.
Donnaire controlling the position for now.
Donnaire avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dash.
Donnaire is doing well to control the position and prevent Dash from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Stephen Dash just wasn't active enough.
Dash tries to close the distance and clinch but Donnaire swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dash shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Donnaire pinned against the cage. Donnaire gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Donnaire misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dash stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dash wants it to stay on the feet.
Horrible takedown by Donnaire or perhaps it was just good defense by Dash which made him look bad.
Dash scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Nonito Donnaire has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stephen Dash is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Donnaire looks to land a body kick but Dash moved away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Dash showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dash 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Dash!