PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roger Sander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Dontogan (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.

Sander
vs
Dontogan

170 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Roger Sander!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brandon Dontogan!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sander moves into the clinch.
Dontogan is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Dontogan breaks the clinch.
Dontogan closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sander counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dontogan!
Dontogan tries to hold on but Sander pushes him away.
Dontogan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sander controlling the position easily from mount.
Dontogan tries to lock up and control but Sander gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sander working Dontogan over with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sander avoids the attempt from Dontogan to control.
Sander scoring with strikes but Dontogan is staying in there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sander working for a guillotine from mount but Dontogan is in no mood to give up.
Dontogan tries to hold on but Sander pushes him away.
Sander raining down shots from the mount!
Dontogan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sander raining down shots from the mount!
Sander punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sander can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Dontogan is looking to escape.
Sander prevents Dontogan from getting the reversal.
Dontogan tries to lock up and control but Sander gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Sander is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Dontogan has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Dontogan!

Sander looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sander is breathing heavily.
Dontogan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sander is trying to control the position but Dontogan postures up.
Sander keeping moving, preventing Dontogan from controlling successfully.
Sander not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sander working a defensive guard but Dontogan manages to pass into side control anyway.
Sander is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sander wants to control but Dontogan is keeping busy.

Dontogan is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Sander has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four 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.
Sander trying to hold on to Dontogan's head to control him but Dontogan postures up.
Dontogan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sander keeps working.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sander manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Dontogan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sander is keeping the position for now.

Sander looking for a guillotine here but Dontogan defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Sander dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dontogan tries to clinch up but Sander circles away and keeps his distance.
Dontogan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sander paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dontogan stuffs the takedown.
Dontogan lands with a nice combination. Sander backs away looking to recover.
Roger Sander is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sander tries for a takedown but Dontogan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Brandon Dontogan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sander is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Dontogan.
Dontogan shoots and misses

and Sander counters with a shoot takedown. Dontogan fights it but they end up in guard.
Sander wanted to stand there but Dontogan had control of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sander trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sander won't allow Dontogan to get back to his feet.
Sander stays in close to Dontogan's body and controls the position.
Sander throws a strike but Dontogan rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sander escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dontogan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dontogan content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two 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.
Dontogan wants to control from the top but Sander keeps moving.

Sander is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sander managing to control the position.
Sander is trying to keep Dontogan in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dontogan slips nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sander trying to control from the bottom.
Dontogan is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Sander trying to hold on to Dontogan's head to control him but Dontogan postures up.

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.
Dontogan content to control rather than advance.
Dontogan wants to control but Sander is keeping him busy.
Dontogan tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Sander regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roger Sander will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dontogan fails with the takedown.
Dontogan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Sander clinches up with Dontogan and pushes him back against the cage.
Sander wants a takedown but no success here.
Sander is pressed up against the cage. Dontogan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sander down to the mat. Sander avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Roger Sander has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Dontogan.
Dontogan fails with the takedown.
Sander shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dontogan as he avoids it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dontogan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sander with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dontogan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sander's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sander is trying to control the position but Dontogan postures up.
Dontogan prevents Sander from getting back to his feet.
Dontogan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sander is keeping the position for now.
Dontogan wants to get up but he can't break Sander's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Dontogan thows a big elbow that misses.
Dontogan trying to control the position from guard on top but Sander is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sander has his hands on Dontogan's head, controlling the position.
Dontogan trying to control but Sander is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sander throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dontogan's waist but Dontogan gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sander off to one side.
Dontogan lands with a shot to the body.

Dontogan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Dontogan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sander is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dontogan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sander to see if he's OK.
Sander is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dontogan trying to control the position but Sander is working away.
Sander struggling a bit here.
Sander prevents Dontogan from moving into mount.
Dontogan trying to control the position but Sander is working away.
Sander tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dontogan closes the distance but Sander moves to the side

and Sander counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dontogan's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sander lands a couple of digs.
Sander postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sander trying to control the position from guard on top but Dontogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dontogan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sander controls the pace.
Roger Sander overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dontogan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sander is one step ahead there.
Sander trying to control but Dontogan is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Brandon Dontogan.
I think Sander 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!