PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Martini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nonito Donaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Donaire has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Nonito Donaire looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Martini
vs
Donaire

171 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Martini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nonito Donaire!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donaire fails with an attempt to clinch.
Donaire looks gassed!
Martini lands with a nice body kick.
Donaire stuffs the takedown attempt from Martini. Martini gets slowly back to his feet.

Martini darts in and clinches Donaire up against the cage.
Martini tries for a takedown. No joy.

Martini manages to break the clinch.
Martini looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Donaire is fending him off so far but Martini persists. Nope, Donaire circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Martini. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Martini clinches up with Donaire and pushes him back against the cage.
Martini drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Martini wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martini changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Donaire fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Martini looks for a takedown but Donaire sprawls well.
Donaire defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Martini.
Donaire fails to land the takedown.

Martini has Donaire up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martini drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Donaire gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Donaire stops a takedown attempt from Martini.
Donaire changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Martini fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Donaire leaves Martini with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Martini forces Donaire back against the cage and clinches.
Martini stops a takedown attempt from Donaire.

Martini tightens his grip and picks Donaire up, before dumping him to the ground. Donaire manages to land in guard.
Donaire is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martini is controlling him.
Donaire looking for a sweep. Not yet Donaire, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martini would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Donaire is pulling down on Martini's head. It's preventing any offense from Martini, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martini trying to control the position from guard on top but Donaire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martini controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Martini trying to control but Donaire is working from the bottom.
Martini wants to stand but Donaire is controlling his posture from full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Donaire can do anything to dispel that myth.

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.
Donaire pulls Martini in to control the position.
Martini wants to control from the top but Donaire keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustavo Martini dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Donaire shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Martini defends it nicely.

Martini closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Martini is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Donaire gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Martini jumps guard.
Martini could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Martini keeping full guard, as Donaire tries to pass.

Martini is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Donaire is aware though and is defending well.
Donaire pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Martini is keeping the position for now.
Martini looking to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Donaire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Martini trying to keep a closed guard but Donaire is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martini throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Donaire pushes down on Martini's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Martini is trying to maintain the position but Donaire is very close to passing his half guard.
Donaire trying to control from half guard but Martini is working away.
Martini has his hands clasped together around Donaire's back. He's all about the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Martini trying to hold on to Donaire's head to control him but Donaire postures up.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Gustavo Martini just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Martini tries to close the distance and clinch up but Donaire swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Donaire drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donaire won't allow Martini to get back to his feet.
Donaire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Donaire is working Martini over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Martini looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martini is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Martini is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Donaire not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Donaire is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Donaire shoots and misses

and Martini counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Martini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Martini tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Donaire paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Donaire closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Martini did well to prevent Donaire getting side control.
Martini gets back to full guard.
Donaire is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donaire stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Martini swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Donaire stands up and waves to Martini to follow him.

Donaire feints and as Martini raises his hands in defense, Donaire changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Donaire looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Donaire pushing down on Martini's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Martini looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nonito Donaire showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Martini's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Martini throws a leg kick but Donaire checks it.
Donaire fails with the takedown.
A left and a right from Martini both land. Nice combination.
Donaire defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Martini.
Donaire wants to clinch
and Martini counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Martini looks for a takedown but Donaire sprawls well.
Martini tries for a takedown but Donaire sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Martini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donaire dives in and grabs Martini's left leg, looking for a takedown. Martini pushes down on Donaire's head and hops out.

Donaire shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Donaire loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Donaire advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martini trying to control but Donaire postures up.
Nice strikes from Donaire there.
Donaire trying to mount his opponent but Martini defends it.
Martini is not content to let Donaire control the position.
Donaire lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Donaire wants to control but Martini is keeping him busy.
Donaire trying to mount his opponent but Martini defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Martini tries to get to full guard but Donaire has control of the leg.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Martini shoots for a double leg takedown but Donaire sprawls well. He's pushed Martini's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Donaire shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Martini as he jumps to the side.
Martini uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Martini misses with a few strikes there.
Martini throws a series of punches but Donaire moves out of range.
Martini with a poor takedown

and Donaire counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Martini's face as Donaire controls the position.
Donaire trying to control the action but Martini is working from the bottom.
Donaire works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donaire creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Donaire working the body and head with strikes.

Donaire decides to stand back up.
Martini is looking to clinch but Donaire is avoiding it.

Donaire feints and as Martini raises his hands in defense, Donaire changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Donaire decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Martini wants to clinch.
Donaire is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Martini.
Martini misses with a takedown attempt

and Donaire counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Donaire.
Nonito Donaire has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martini is trying to keep Donaire in close.
Donaire wants to control from the top but Martini keeps moving.
Donaire is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Donaire lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Donaire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Martini not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Martini pulls Donaire in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Donaire working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nonito Donaire comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Donaire has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nonito Donaire!