PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Raymond Donde (ranked 1222 p4p, 137 weight class) and Brian Fantana (ranked 1079 p4p, 125 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Donde
vs
Fantana

180 cm
25
155 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

165 cm
43
144 lbs
28 - 14 - 2

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymond Donde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 14 - 2, fighting out of New York, Brian Fantana!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donde darts in looking for a takedown but Fantana gets double underhooks and turns Donde into the cage.
Fantana ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Fantana swinging wildly here.
Fantana scores with a sloppy right hand. Donde should have avoided that one.
Fantana looks to land a right hand but Donde moved out of range.
Fantana misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Donde.
Donde attempts a counter takedown but Fantana avoids it well and moves away.
Fantana swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Donde.
Donde waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fantana.
Fantana throws a low kick but Donde moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fantana comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Donde 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Donde throws a front kick that sends Fantana stumbling back into the cage.
Fantana lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donde shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fantana as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donde shoots in but Fantana avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raymond Donde. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fantana is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Donde.
Donde tries to counter with a takedown but Fantana is quick to defend against it.
Fantana takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Fantana misses with a low kick.

Donde closes the distance and pushes Fantana back into the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Donde just misses with a elbow thrown towards Fantana's brow.
Donde can't find room to land a body shot as Fantana controls the action.
Donde blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Fantana.
Donde misses with a punch to the body.

Fantana pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Donde uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fantana.
Fantana is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Donde.
A punch combination from Fantana misses.
Donde just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fantana shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Fantana showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Donde is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fantana scores with a couple of nice shots.
Fantana is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Fantana scoring with strikes to the body and head.
My spies in Ramirez School Of Excellence inform me that Fantana has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Donde is looking for a sweep. Fantana is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fantana looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Donde wants to improve his position but Fantana is controlling well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Fantana lands a nice short elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantana passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Donde!
Donde is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fantana goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Donde is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fantana had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Donde defends it easily.
Donde sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fantana's guard.

Donde is looking for a kimura but Fantana is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Donde to get the leverage.
Fantana trying to hold on to Donde's head to control him but Donde postures up.
Fantana is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Donde is staying active.
Fantana is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Donde is looking to advance position but Fantana won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donde trying to advance position but Fantana counters by regaining guard.
Fantana trying to control the position.
Donde wants to pass the guard but Fantana is keeping the position.

Fantana had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Donde defends it easily.
Fantana has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fantana trying to control the position.

Donde drops back, looking for a kneebar! Fantana looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Fantana looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Fantana!

Donde tries to buck Fantana off but Fantana is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fantana throws a looping overhand right but Donde ducks down to avoid it.
Donde avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Donde changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Fantana has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fantana misses with the combination.
Donde attempts a counter takedown but Fantana avoids it well and moves away.
Fantana jabs Donde right on the nose. Donde blinks but takes it well.
Fantana looks to land a right hand but Donde moved out of range.
Donde is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Fantana.
Fantana lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Donde takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fantana goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Fantana misses with a jab, cross combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Donde scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Donde fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Fantana sprawls well initially but Donde persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Donde is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Donde is looking for a kimura but Fantana is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Donde to get the leverage.
Fantana moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fantana keeping full guard, as Donde tries to pass.
Donde is working hard here to advance position.

That's two 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.
Fantana working a defensive guard here.
Fantana keeping full guard, as Donde tries to pass.
Donde pushing down on Fantana's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Donde is looking to advance position but Fantana won't allow it.
Fantana tries to get to full guard but Donde has control of the leg.

Donde is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fantana defends it well.
Fantana is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Donde is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Fantana gets full guard.
Fantana bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Donde's guard.

Donde is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fantana is aware though and is defending well.

Donde is looking for a triangle but Fantana pushes his legs off easily.
Donde looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Fantana postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Donde is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Fantana, into his guard.

Donde wants to pass the guard but Fantana is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fantana looking for a guillotine here but Donde defends easily.
Donde tries to free his leg and advance position but Fantana is retaining full guard.
Brian Fantana has got the better of the ground game so far.
Donde passes Fantana's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Donde looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Fantana tries to get to full guard but Donde has control of the leg.

Donde is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Fantana sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brian Fantana will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Fantana misses the jab.
Fantana misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Donde.
Donde uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Fantana.
Donde changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Fantana throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Donde drops down looking for a counter takedown but Fantana sprawls and moves away.
Donde takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Fantana clobbers Donde with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Donde walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Fantana shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Donde gets full guard.
Fantana scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Donde tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Donde throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fantana preventing the sweep.
Donde will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Donde looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Fantana drops back looking for a leg! Donde is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Donde manages to kick Fantana off! Fantana jumps back into Donde's guard.
Fantana forces his way into half guard.
Donde is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fantana passes the guard and advances to mount!
Fantana is landing with some decent strikes but Donde is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donde can't escape the position.
Fantana raining down hammerfists from mount.
Donde really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Fantana postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Donde looks a forlorn figure.
Fantana working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fantana scoring with strikes but Donde is staying in there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fantana punishing his opponent with strikes.

Fantana looking for a guillotine from mount but Donde is having none of it.
Fantana looking to control but Donde is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Fantana lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Donde tries to reverse the position but Fantana maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fantana looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Fantana trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Fantana lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Fantana lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Donde hang on?
Donde manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Donde works his way to full guard. Good work.
Fantana content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Donde working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Fantana doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Fantana manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Donde looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fantana is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantana with a nice head shot there.
Fantana looking to sit in guard and control but Donde gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fantana lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Fantana trying to control the position from guard on top but Donde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Raymond Donde has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brian Fantana is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Donde looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fantana is one step ahead there.
Fantana makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Donde is looking for a triangle but Fantana pushes his legs off easily.
Fantana lands a couple of digs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brian Fantana comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fantana winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Fantana!
A victorious Brian Fantana thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.