PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladamir Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodolfo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drago's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Id Hate To Be You Right Now. Gracie is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Onward to Victory. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Drago
vs
Gracie

190 cm
25
212 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

181 cm
19
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vladamir Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rodolfo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Drago not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Drago is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie 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.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Drago controlling the pace.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Drago looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Drago sits in half guard.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie looks gassed!
Drago frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Drago content just to control the position here.
Drago breaks from Gracie's wrist control and lands an elbow.

It looks like Rodolfo Gracie has been cut.
Drago working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Drago controlling from mount.
Gracie is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Drago looking to control and managing it successfully.
Drago with shots to the head and body - Gracie looks very uncomfortable down there.
Drago lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gracie hang on?
Drago looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Drago maintains control.
Drago landing strikes from the mount.
Drago prevents Gracie from getting the reversal.
Drago fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago with a couple of short strikes.

That has opened up Rodolfo Gracie's cut even more.
Drago controlling his opponent.
Drago lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Drago landing punches.
Drago controlling the pace for now.
Drago landing strikes from the mount.

The cut above Rodolfo Gracie's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Drago controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gracie is looking to escape.
Gracie regains half guard.

Drago wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie tries to roll over but Drago keeps him under control.
Drago uses his free foot to push down on Gracie's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gracie.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Drago decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladamir Drago dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rodolfo Gracie's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Drago gets a clinch.
Drago utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Drago pulls Gracie into guard.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drago swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Drago has his feet on Gracie's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed

and Drago counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie has hold of Drago's hands but Drago slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Drago throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Drago prevents Gracie from improving his position.
Drago sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Drago lands with a punch from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Drago tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gracie knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Drago takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Drago is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Drago sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago working the head and body with strikes.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Gracie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Drago is working away from the top position though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Drago shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Drago showed some decent athleticism there.
Drago slips a nice elbow through Gracie's hands, connecting with Gracie's forehead.
Drago frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Drago lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Gracie hang on?
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.
Drago pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago lands a big shot there that rocks Gracie but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Drago controlling from the full mount.
Drago looking to control but Gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drago looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Drago working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Drago tries to control but Gracie wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie wants to control but Drago is having none of it.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Drago controlling the position easily from mount.
Drago with shots to the head and body - Gracie looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
Drago working Gracie over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladamir Drago dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rodolfo Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Drago has managed to clinch.
Gracie tries to break the clinch but Drago is controlling the position.

Drago has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gracie uses from the top position.
Gracie trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Drago throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Drago looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie stays in close to Drago's body and controls the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Drago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Drago fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.

Drago breaks from the clinch.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Drago counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Drago.
Drago is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Drago can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago stands up from Gracie's guard - Drago perhaps looking for a knockout.

Drago closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gracie to the mat! Gracie manages to get full guard.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Drago is aware though and is defending well.
Drago works over Gracie with some ground and pound from 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!

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Drago's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Drago got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Drago has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.

Gracie has his foot on Drago's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Drago works his way back into a safe position though.
Vladamir Drago is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Drago controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Drago trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Drago counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Drago controlling the action here.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.
Vladamir Drago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drago looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.

Drago moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Gracie.
Drago has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Gracie!
Rodolfo Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gracie throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladamir Drago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Drago 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:26
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladamir Drago!