PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenny Florini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Florini
vs
Sonnen

177 cm
22
166 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenny Florini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nate Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Florini napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sonnen throwing strikes but Florini manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

Florini tries for a kimura but Sonnen is defending well.
Sonnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Florini. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Florini prevents Sonnen from escaping the position.

Florini stands up and beckons Sonnen to his feet.
Sonnen tries to clinch up but Florini circles away and keeps his distance.
Sonnen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Sonnen's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Sonnen duly obliges.
Sonnen tries to bum rush Florini with a series of wild strikes but Florini uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Florini keeps the fight on the outside.
Sonnen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Florini.

Sonnen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Florini is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Florini reverses the position - he's now on top in Sonnen's guard.
Florini is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Florini pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sonnen is keeping the position for now.
Florini won't allow Sonnen to get back to his feet.

Florini drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Florini jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sonnen wants to stand and escape but Florini is having none of it.

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

Sonnen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Florini struggling a bit here.
Sonnen scoring with punches from side control.
Sonnen lands some shots froms side control.
Florini prevents Sonnen from improving position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen cracks Florini with a big elbow.
Sonnen working the strikes but Florini uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sonnen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

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.
Sonnen is keen to just control but Florini is a slippery customer.
Florini keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Florini dodges it nicely.
Florini taking some punishment here, with Sonnen in his half guard.
Sonnen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Florini.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Sonnen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sonnen misses with a few strikes there.
Sonnen misses with a series of wild punches.
A jab from Sonnen misses.
Florini misses with a takedown

and Sonnen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sonnen.
Sonnen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Sonnen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Florini has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sonnen has managed to get both his arms back between Florini's legs - danger averted.
Florini keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Florini looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Florini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Florini on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Florini tries to get out of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sonnen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Nate Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sonnen is just content to waste time from the top position. Florini takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing.
Florini wants to sweep here but Sonnen controlling him for the moment.
Sonnen content to stall in guard here.
Florini is trying to keep Sonnen in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sonnen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Florini looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sonnen is one step ahead there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sonnen lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Florini backs up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen looks to land a combination. Florini sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Sonnen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Florini swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Sonnen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Florini struggling a bit here.
Sonnen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Florini is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sonnen working the ground and pound.
Sonnen in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Sonnen tries to advance to mount but Florini denies him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Sonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sonnen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Florini looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Florini takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Sonnen in side control lands a decent elbow.
Florini prevents Sonnen from improving position.
Sonnen tries to score with some ground and pound. Florini controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sonnen is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Florini will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is putting a hurting on Florini here, landing some big shots from side control.
Sonnen tries to move to mount but Florini blocks the move with his legs.
The ground and pound from Sonnen seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Sonnen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sonnen moves in looking to clinch but Florini pushes him off.

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.
Sonnen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Florini's hands.

Florini gets caught flat footed, as Sonnen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sonnen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Florini is keeping the position for now.
Sonnen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sonnen landing with the ground and pound.
Sonnen is looking to work some ground and pound but Florini has wrist control.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Florini works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Florini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Florini is trying to control the position but Sonnen postures up.
Sonnen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Florini's head.
Florini keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
Sonnen wants to pass the guard but Florini is keeping the position.
Sonnen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sonnen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Florini wants to control but Sonnen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kenny Florini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Florini is controlling Sonnen's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Nate Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Florini tries to roll over but Sonnen keeps him under control.
Florini on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Sonnen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sonnen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 26:30

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