PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leandro Marinho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Marinho
vs
Sonnen

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Leandro Marinho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marinho fails with an attempt to clinch.

Marinho moves into the clinch successfully.
Sonnen can't get the takedown.

Marinho breaks from the clinch.
Sonnen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Marinho as he jumps to the side.
Marinho throws a front kick aimed at Sonnen's knee but Sonnen avoids it well.
The fighters circling - Sonnen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sonnen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Marinho cracks Sonnen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Marinho tries for a takedown but Sonnen circles away easily

so Sonnen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marinho has momentary wrist control but Sonnen slips an elbow through the middle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marinho is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marinho trying to strike off his back.
Sonnen throws an elbow that misses. Marinho uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sonnen's guard. Nice move by Marinho!
Sonnen is looking to stand up but Marinho isn't so interested in that idea.
Marinho has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Marinho throws a big elbow that misses.
Marinho postures up.
Marinho wants to stand but Sonnen is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen wants to stand but Marinho is controlling the position.
Sonnen controlling the position.

Leandro Marinho has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Marinho is looking to clinch but Sonnen is avoiding it.
Marinho is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Marinho gets caught napping as Sonnen dives in and scores a takedown. Marinho manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marinho is trying to control the position but Sonnen postures up.
Sonnen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Marinho looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sonnen is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Marinho's head.
Marinho throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Marinho working a defensive guard but Sonnen passes into half guard.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Marinho dodges it nicely.
Marinho keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sonnen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Marinho is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Marinho avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen slips a nice elbow through Marinho's hands, connecting with Marinho's forehead.
Sonnen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sonnen drops an elbow to the side of Marinho's head.
Sonnen is nestled in close to Marinho, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marinho manages to get to full guard.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Marinho works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen trying to control but Marinho is working from the bottom.
Marinho lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sonnen!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that 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.

Sonnen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Marinho was covering up waiting for the punch and Sonnen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sonnen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sonnen is looking to work some ground and pound but Marinho has wrist control.
Chael Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sonnen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Marinho's head.
Sonnen trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Marinho manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Marinho wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.
Marinho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sonnen is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Marinho has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sonnen is proving hard to escape from.
Sonnen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Marinho wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leandro Marinho.
Sonnen misses with a wild combination.
Sonnen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
No joy there for Sonnen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Marinho tries to clinch there but Sonnen circles away.
Sonnen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Marinho gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sonnen is looking for a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marinho drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sonnen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sonnen misses with the combination.
No luck for Sonnen with that takedown attempt.
Marinho changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sonnen tries to avoid it but Marinho manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sonnen to the ground. Sonnen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sonnen takes a jab right on the kisser.
Sonnen blocks the body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marinho shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sonnen pinned against the cage. Sonnen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leandro Marinho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marinho doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sonnen is in close to Marinho's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sonnen throws a strike but Marinho rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sonnen wants to sweep here but Marinho controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Marinho manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Marinho shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sonnen as he jumps to the side.
Marinho lands a slapping body shot.
Leandro Marinho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marinho is looking to clinch but Sonnen is avoiding it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sonnen is defended easily by Marinho.
Marinho misses with a takedown

and Sonnen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Marinho won't be happy with that.
Marinho throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

Sonnen looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sonnen scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Sonnen is putting a hurting on Marinho here, landing some big shots from side control.
Marinho is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sonnen creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Marinho is trying to work for a sweep but Sonnen has mounted him!
Sonnen landing punches.
Marinho taking shots to the head.
Sonnen unloading with bombs!
Marinho taking shots to the head.
Sonnen working the ground and pound effectively.
Sonnen with shots to the head and body - Marinho looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
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!
Marinho in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Marinho tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sonnen with good strikes from the mount here!
Sonnen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Sonnen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Marinho looks a forlorn figure.
BOOM! Sonnen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sonnen with shots to the head and body - Marinho looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sonnen breaks from Marinho's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sonnen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Marinho working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen with the ground and pound from mount.
Chael Sonnen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sonnen landing punches.
Marinho throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The referee warns Marinho that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sonnen working the ground and pound effectively.
Marinho really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sonnen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Sonnen landing shots from mount.
Sonnen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sonnen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Marinho?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marinho is bucking up trying to escape but Sonnen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sonnen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sonnen scoring with strikes but Marinho is staying in there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen lands with some strikes.
Sonnen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sonnen lands a nice shot to the head.
Sonnen with shots to the head and body - Marinho looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sonnen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Marinho?
Sonnen looking to finish Marinho with some ground and pound. This is bad for Marinho!
Sonnen lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
BOOM! Sonnen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sonnen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Leandro Marinho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonnen has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Marinho's face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chael Sonnen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sonnen 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonnen!