PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derwin Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chael Sonnen had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Derwin Davis will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Sonnen
vs
Davis

179 cm
27
200 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Derwin Davis!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, John Roberts and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sonnen dives in and scores a takedown into Davis's guard.
Sonnen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sonnen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Davis's head.
Sonnen stays in close to Davis's body and controls the position.
Davis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Davis can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sonnen controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chael Sonnen wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Sonnen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Davis's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sonnen decides to stand and escape the position.

Sonnen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Davis!
Sonnen is putting a hurting on Davis here, landing some big shots from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen scores with punches from side control.
Davis sneaks back into half guard.
Davis has hold of Sonnen's hands but Sonnen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sonnen wants to pass the guard but Davis is defending well.
Sonnen is trying to control the action in half guard but Davis is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis wants to improve his position but Sonnen is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sonnen in particular looking to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Davis!
Sonnen looking to control but instead Davis has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen stalling away here and it's allowed Davis to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sonnen gets a double leg takedown into Davis's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sonnen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Davis shoots in looking for a takedown but Sonnen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Davis's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Davis tries to sprawl but Sonnen drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Sonnen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sonnen is trying to control. Davis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Davis reverses the position - he's now on top in Sonnen's guard.
Sonnen keeping moving, preventing Davis from controlling successfully.
Sonnen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Davis on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sonnen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sonnen controls Davis momentarily but Davis frees himself.
Davis trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Davis is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Derwin Davis has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Sonnen closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Davis's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing strikes but missing.
Sonnen trying to control but Davis is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Chael Sonnen just wasn't active enough.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Davis enables Sonnen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Davis manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Davis keeping full guard, as Sonnen tries to pass.
Davis is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chael Sonnen wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Sonnen shoots in and bounces Davis off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Davis looking for a guillotine here but Sonnen defends easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Davis keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

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

Sonnen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Sonnen gets a double leg takedown into Davis's guard.
Sonnen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Davis can do to turn this around?
Sonnen trying to control but Davis is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Davis is not content to let Sonnen control the position.
Sonnen taking a breather here.
Chael Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chael Sonnen wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Sonnen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Davis controls Sonnen momentarily but Sonnen frees himself.
Sonnen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen sitting in guard, not really doing much.

We're going to have a standup here because Chael Sonnen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Sonnen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Davis was covering up waiting for the punch and Sonnen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sonnen trying to control but Davis is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Davis looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Davis is looking to reverse the position.
Davis struggling a bit here.
Davis is letting Sonnen control him for a moment.
Derwin Davis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Davis is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chael Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sonnen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27

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