PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Lawson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Drago
vs
Lawson

182 cm
22
205 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

FNF Energy - Sale!

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ivan Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Lawson!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drago throws a head kick that misses.
Drago leaves Lawson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lawson shoots for a takedown but Drago saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown but Drago shows good takedown defense.
Ivan Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Lawson.
Drago lands a jab to the nose.
Matt Lawson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drago as he avoids it easily.
Drago misses with a head kick.
Drago fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lawson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Drago but Drago pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Drago lands with a thumping leg kick.
Lawson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drago as he avoids it easily.

Lawson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Drago is trying to defend but Lawson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Drago slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lawson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Lawson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Drago is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Lawson, into his guard.
Lawson looks gassed!
Drago lands a couple of elbows.
Drago trying to control but Lawson is working from the bottom.
Drago postures up in Lawson's guard and throws a big left but Lawson blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Drago accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Drago is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Drago wants to control from the top but Lawson keeps moving.

Lawson is looking for a triangle but Drago pushes his legs off easily.
Lawson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Drago as Lawson shoots in.

Drago scores a takedown into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Drago trying to control but Lawson is having none of it.
Drago scoring with strikes but Lawson is staying in there.

Drago is working for a guillotine from mount but Lawson frees his head quite easily.
Lawson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drago in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lawson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Drago is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Drago tries to control but Lawson wriggling away.
Drago throws some wild stikes that Lawson manages to avoid easily.
Drago is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Lawson blocking the ground and pound.

Drago swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Lawson is now in Drago's guard. A big mistake from Drago there, giving up the dominant position!
Lawson throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lawson wants to control from the top but Drago keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Drago pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lawson scores with a three punch combo!

Lawson gets the takedown into side control.

Lawson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Drago, who protects the arm well.

Lawson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Drago has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Lawson but great work by Drago.

Drago is trying to get an arm triangle but Lawson is defending well.
Lawson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Drago tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson is looking to reverse the position.
Lawson is trying to control Drago's posture but Drago avoids it.

Drago looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Lawson stops Drago from passing to mount.
Lawson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Drago's best efforts.
Lawson is trying to stand back up but Drago is controlling him

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.
Lawson is controlling Drago's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Lawson won't allow Drago to pass to mount.
Drago perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Lawson is looking to improve his position.
Drago scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Lawson won't allow Drago to pass to mount.
Lawson manages to get to full guard.
Lawson trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Lawson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Drago doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Drago manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Drago accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Drago stays in close to Lawson's body and controls the position.
Drago chips away with some ground and pound.
Lawson trying to control the position.
Drago postures up in Lawson's guard and throws a big left but Lawson blocks it.

That's four 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Drago slaps away a takedown attempt from Lawson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Drago takes a swing at Lawson's ribcage but misses.
Lawson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Drago misses with a body kick.
Drago tries a head kick but it misses.

Lawson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Lawson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Drago's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Lawson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Lawson tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Drago falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lawson counters with a three punch combo that has Drago backing up. Drago nods at Lawson to acknowledge the strikes.
Drago looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Lawson with a poor takedown
and Drago counters with a left and a right that stings Lawson.
Lawson misses with a takedown attempt - Drago sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Drago connects with a high kick.
Drago slaps away a takedown attempt from Lawson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ivan Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Lawson.
Drago misses with a body kick.
Drago closes the distance and clinches up with Lawson, looking for a takedown. Drago pushes Lawson against the cage but Lawson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lawson moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Lawson tries to clinch up
and Drago counters with a nice uppercut.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Lawson.
Drago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lawson looks to land a combination but Drago avoids it well.

Lawson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lawson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lawson with a nice head shot there.
Lawson looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago wriggles free and stands up.
Ivan Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice takedown defense from Drago. No joy for Lawson on that attempt.
Lawson tries to clinch but Drago moves out of range.
Lawson shoots in for a double leg but Drago sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lawson leaves Drago with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago misses with a body kick.

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

Drago is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lawson pulls his head out easily.
Lawson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lawson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Lawson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Lawson is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawson trying to control from Drago's half guard. Drago has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Lawson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Drago is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Lawson, into his guard.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ivan Drago.
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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ivan Drago!