PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Santo Daniel (ranked 24610 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucaus Bonwitz (ranked 5213 p4p, 0 weight class). Lucaus Bonwitz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Daniel
vs
Bonwitz

202 cm
22
260 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Santo Daniel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lucaus Bonwitz!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Ryoma Takatsuka and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Daniel has closed the distance and engaged Bonwitz in a clinch.
Bonwitz should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Bonwitz is looking to take this one to the mat.

Bonwitz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Daniel darts in looking for a takedown but Bonwitz gets double underhooks and turns Daniel into the cage.
Bonwitz looks to score with a jab to the body but Daniel is just out of range.
Bonwitz shoots for a double leg takedown but Daniel sprawls well. He's pushed Bonwitz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Bonwitz clinches up against the cage.
Daniel tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bonwitz just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bonwitz tries for a takedown but Daniel manages to get underhooks.
Santo Daniel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucaus Bonwitz.
Daniel has Bonwitz pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bonwitz manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bonwitz breaks the clinch.
Daniel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniel takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Bonwitz shoots in for a takedown but Daniel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Daniel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonwitz tries to avoid it but Daniel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonwitz to the ground. Bonwitz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Bonwitz wants to counter the offense by Daniel and move into the clinch position.
Daniel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Daniel forces Bonwitz back against the cage and clinches.
Bonwitz is looking for a takedown.
Bonwitz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Daniel gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Daniel slowing the pace effectively.
Daniel taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Bonwitz gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Bonwitz wants to control from the top but Daniel keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniel looking for a sweep. Not yet Daniel, not yet.
Bonwitz wants to control from the top but Daniel keeps moving.
Bonwitz is looking to work some ground and pound but Daniel has wrist control.
Bonwitz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Daniel trying to strike off his back.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

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

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bonwitz throws a body punch but Daniel moves out of range.
Daniel fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Bonwitz looks winded!

Daniel closes the distance and pushes Bonwitz back into the cage.
Daniel wants to take the fight to the mat but Bonwitz manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Bonwitz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Daniel is keeping busy.
Daniel is working for takedown but Bonwitz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Daniel is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Bonwitz is defending well.
Bonwitz is looking for a takedown.
The referee calls for Daniel to work.

Bonwitz manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Daniel drives through and clinches with Bonwitz against the cage.
Bonwitz wants to stall.
Bonwitz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Daniel blocks it with crossed arms.
Bonwitz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Daniel is looking to take this one to the mat.
A frustrated look appears on Daniel's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bonwitz is trying to break the clinch but Daniel has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bonwitz is trying to drag Daniel to the mat but Daniel just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Bonwitz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lucaus Bonwitz will probably get the nod.
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.

Bonwitz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Daniel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bonwitz shoots in for a double leg but Daniel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bonwitz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bonwitz wants it to stay on the feet.
No joy there for Daniel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bonwitz scores with a nice right hand.
Bonwitz stuffs the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Daniel. No joy for Bonwitz on that attempt.
Santo Daniel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucaus Bonwitz.
Bonwitz misses with a series of wild punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daniel throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bonwitz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Daniel tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bonwitz defends well and Daniel ends up having to push Bonwitz into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonwitz shoots in and drives through. Daniel sprawls well.
Bonwitz is breathing heavily.
Daniel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bonwitz paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Daniel gets a double leg takedown into Bonwitz's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Bonwitz manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Bonwitz can't get the takedown.
Bonwitz tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Daniel just stands there and leans against the cage.
Daniel is trying to push Bonwitz away but Bonwitz has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Daniel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Daniel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Daniel can't break the clinch.
Bonwitz goes for a takedown attempt but Daniel pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonwitz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Daniel defends it nicely.
Daniel half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Bonwitz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Daniel.
Bonwitz slaps away a takedown attempt from Daniel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bonwitz misses with a low kick.
Lucaus Bonwitz seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Bonwitz gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Daniel to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bonwitz is working an open guard so Daniel takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daniel throws a jab but it's blocked by Bonwitz.
Daniel misses the shot to the body.
Bonwitz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bonwitz throws a nice head kick!
Bonwitz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Bonwitz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Daniel darts in and clinches Bonwitz up against the cage.

Daniel gets control of Bonwitz's arms and successfully pulls guard. Daniel will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bonwitz sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daniel controlling Bonwitz's posture.
Bonwitz trying to control the position from guard on top but Daniel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Daniel controls Bonwitz momentarily but Bonwitz frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Daniel looking for a guillotine here but Bonwitz defends easily.
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 Santo Daniel will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Bonwitz has a takedown stuffed.
Daniel goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Daniel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bonwitz.
Nice sprawl there from Daniel as Bonwitz shoots in.
Daniel fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Daniel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Daniel misses with a takedown attempt - Bonwitz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bonwitz shoots for a double leg takedown but Daniel sprawls well. He's pushed Bonwitz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Daniel tries to counter with a takedown but Bonwitz is quick to defend against it.
Santo Daniel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucaus Bonwitz.
Bonwitz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Daniel shoots in for a takedown but Bonwitz shows good takedown defense.
Daniel shoots in for a takedown but Bonwitz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bonwitz rushes Daniel and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Daniel being controlled against the cage.

Daniel manages to pull guard.
Bonwitz wants to control from the top but Daniel keeps moving.
Bonwitz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Daniel haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Daniel wants to get back to his feet but Bonwitz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniel keeping moving, preventing Bonwitz from controlling successfully.

Daniel looking for a guillotine here but Bonwitz defends easily.
Bonwitz throwing strikes from guard but Daniel blocks nicely.
Bonwitz is fighting to break Daniel's control of his arms but Daniel is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bonwitz tries to keep at a distance but Daniel has taken the fight into the clinch.
Daniel looking to stall.
Daniel takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Santo Daniel has been cut.
Bonwitz wants to take the fight to the mat but Daniel manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Bonwitz has Daniel pressed against the cage, preventing Daniel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Bonwitz wants a takedown.
Bonwitz is trying to pull guard but Daniel turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bonwitz wants to take the fight to the mat but Daniel manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Daniel pulls guard successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Daniel is on top in guard.

Daniel chips away with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bonwitz controls Daniel momentarily but Daniel frees himself.
Bonwitz keeping moving, preventing Daniel from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Daniel controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santo Daniel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Daniel 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Santo Daniel!