PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brock Letters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nonito Donaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brock Letters had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Letters
vs
Donaire

173 cm
22
177 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

176 cm
25
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brock Letters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nonito Donaire!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donaire tries to clinch up but Letters circles away and keeps his distance.
Donaire fails to land the takedown.
Donaire misses with a takedown attempt - Letters sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Letters darts in and clinches Donaire up against the cage.
Donaire tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Letters just stands there and leans against the cage.
Brock Letters has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nonito Donaire.
Donaire goes for a takedown in the clinch but Letters prevents it.
Donaire looks gassed!
Donaire is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Letters tightens his grip and picks Donaire up, before dumping him to the ground. Donaire manages to land in guard.
Letters slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Letters wants to control from the top but Donaire keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Letters is pushing down on Donaire's leg trying to pass to half guard. Donaire is fighting to maintain full guard but Letters has managed to sneak the leg through.
Nice strikes from Letters there.
Letters is trying to control. Donaire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Letters works his way into side control.
Letters wants to lay and pray for a moment but Donaire keeps working.

Letters decides to stand up, so the ref orders Donaire to his feet.

Letters closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Letters is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Letters slips a nice elbow through Donaire's hands, connecting with Donaire's forehead.
Letters missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Letters is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Letters escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Letters shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Letters showed some decent athleticism there.
Letters trying to pass the guard but Donaire defending well.

Letters is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Donaire doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Letters.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Donaire is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Letters trying to control from half guard but Donaire is working away.
Letters missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Letters is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Letters is trying to control. Donaire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Letters closes the distance and clinches.
Letters scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Letters gets control of Donaire's arms and successfully pulls guard. Letters will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Donaire stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Letters swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Letters striking from his own guard.
Letters trying to keep a closed guard but Donaire is proving a slippery customer.

Letters manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Letters closes the distance and clinches up with Donaire, looking for a takedown. Letters pushes Donaire against the cage but Donaire circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Donaire. No joy for Letters on that attempt.

Letters shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Letters was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Donaire really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Letters. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Donaire really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Letters content just to control the position here.
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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Donaire sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Letters is trying to control. Donaire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Donaire trying to hold on to Letters's head to control him but Letters postures up.
Letters seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Donaire does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Brock Letters.
Donaire gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Letters counters with a single leg into guard. Donaire didn't expect that.
Donaire controls Letters momentarily but Letters frees himself.
Letters passes Donaire's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Donaire trying to control from the bottom.
Letters is trying to control. Donaire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Letters passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Donaire!
Letters controlling the position easily from mount.
Donaire tries to hold on but Letters postures up.
Letters can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Donaire is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Donaire taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Letters dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Donaire has his takedown stuffed

and Letters counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Letters.

Letters decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Letters throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Donaire's head.

Letters is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Donaire's half guard.
Letters takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Letters in particular looking to stall.
Letters passes to full mount!
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.
Letters trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Letters breaks from Donaire's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Letters trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Letters tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Letters lands a nice shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Letters looking to control and managing it successfully.
Donaire tries to hold on but Letters pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Letters is working to isolate an arm here. It's a telegraphed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! Letters extends the arm and Donaire is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Brock Letters!