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). Ivan Drago could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Matt Lawson's chin.

Drago
vs
Lawson

182 cm
22
205 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
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 5 - 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Lawson!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drago instigates a clinch.
Drago lands an elbow inside.
Drago changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Lawson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Drago lets loose with a powerful body kick. Lawson will feel that in the morning.
Matt Lawson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawson moves out of range of the body kick.
Drago throws a hook but Lawson blocks it.
Drago misses with a body shot.
Lawson slips a jab and a cross from Drago.
Drago lands with a nice combination. Lawson backs away looking to recover.
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!
Drago throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Drago stuffs the takedown.
Lawson clinches but Drago breaks the clinch
and Drago counters with a body kick that stops Lawson in his tracks momentarily.
Lawson looks gassed!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Drago, right into the meat.
Drago thows a body kick. Lawson tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Drago drives through with a takedown into guard.
Drago trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Drago postures up in Lawson's guard and throws a big left but Lawson blocks it.

Lawson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago throwing strikes from guard but Lawson blocks nicely.
Drago trying to control but Lawson is working from the bottom.
Drago throwing strikes but missing.
Drago is looking to work some ground and pound but Lawson has wrist control.
Drago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lawson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Drago has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No joy there for Drago, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Drago misses with a two punch combination.

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.
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.
Drago is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lawson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lawson with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lawson thows a huge punch but Drago dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson trying to control the action but Drago is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lawson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Drago kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Drago blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lawson.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Drago gets caught flat footed, as Lawson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lawson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Drago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drago pulls Lawson in close to his closed guard and prevents Lawson from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lawson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lawson tries to free his leg and advance position but Drago is retaining full guard.

Drago is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lawson trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

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

Drago gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Lawson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Lawson controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that 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.

Lawson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Drago manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Drago is looking to stand up but Lawson isn't so interested in that idea.
Lawson looking to sit in guard and control but Drago gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Drago decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Lawson misses with a takedown
and Drago counters with a good, hard body kick but Lawson shrugs it off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drago throws a solid leg kick but Lawson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Drago.
Lawson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Drago circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson fails with a takedown attempt.
Ivan Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Lawson.
Drago tries to clinch there but Lawson circles away.
Drago tries to clinch there but Lawson circles away.
Lawson moves out of range of the body kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lawson.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Drago.
Lawson misses with a takedown attempt - Drago sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Drago looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lawson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lawson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Lawson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Drago's guard.
Lawson looking to sit in guard and control but Drago gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawson trying to control the position here.
Drago trying to control but Lawson is working from the bottom.
Drago stopping the sweep attempt from Lawson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Drago pushing down on Lawson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Drago passes to side control.
Lawson is looking for a sweep.

Drago working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Drago trying to control the action but Lawson is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Drago is trying to move to mount but Lawson reverses beautifully and ends up in Drago's guard.
Lawson trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Lawson pushing down on Drago's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
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 Ivan Drago 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. This is the final round!

Lawson with a poor takedown
and Drago makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lawson is defended easily by Drago.
Ivan Drago is winning the standup battle so far.
Lawson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Drago sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lawson somewhat.
Ivan Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Lawson.

Drago throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Lawson stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Drago follows into mount!
Drago with good strikes from the mount here!
Lawson is looking to get to half guard.
Lawson is squirming around, avoiding Drago's attempts to control the action.
Drago has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lawson's face.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Drago lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lawson hang on?
Drago punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lawson holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Drago tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Drago trying to control but Lawson is having none of it.
Lawson wants to hold on but Drago pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lawson is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Drago is staying active.
Drago punching from mount but Lawson doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Matt Lawson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lawson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Drago with the ground and pound from mount.
Drago landing punches.
Drago controlling from the full mount.
Drago lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Drago looking to ground and pound but Lawson is blocking nicely.
Drago throws some wild stikes that Lawson manages to avoid easily.
Lawson tries to hold on but Drago postures up.
Drago can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lawson is looking to escape.
Drago prevents Lawson from getting the reversal.
Drago lands a big shot there that rocks Lawson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lawson is trying desperately to improve position.
Drago punishing his opponent with strikes.
Drago has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lawson's face.
Lawson tries to hold on but Drago pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lawson wants to hold on but Drago pushes him away.
Matt Lawson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Drago cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
A nice elbow there by Drago.
Lawson can't escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

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