PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shifiinity Powel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shifiinity Powel acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Drago
vs
Powel

193 cm
24
205 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

173 cm
22
212 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shifiinity Powel!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Powel shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Drago makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Shifiinity Powel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drago throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Powel's waist but Powel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Drago off to one side.
Powel avoids a punch combination nicely.

Powel decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Drago looks like he's trying to stand up.
Powel lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Powel is working for a kimura but Drago is defending it quite comfortably.
Powel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drago defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago manages to get to full guard.
Powel prevents Drago from getting back to his feet.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Powel from controlling successfully.
Powel won't allow Drago to get back to his feet.
Powel throwing strikes from guard but Drago blocks nicely.
Powel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Drago is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Drago misses with a straight left.
Drago misses with a head kick.

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.

Powel scores with a takedown into Drago's guard.
Drago is breathing heavily.

Powel thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Powel postures up in Drago's guard and throws a big left but Drago blocks it.
Drago utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Powel prevents Drago from getting back to his feet.
Powel trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Powel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drago works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drago avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Powel postures up in Drago's guard and throws a big left but Drago blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Drago shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Powel counters with a single leg into guard. Drago didn't expect that.
Powel scoring with punches to the head and body.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago wants to stand but Powel is controlling the position.
Powel connects with a couple of short punches.
Powel with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Powel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Powel keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Drago's head.
Powel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Powel is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Drago is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Powel is controlling him.
Powel chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four 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.
Powel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Powel is working Drago over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Drago wants to stand up but Powel is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Powel with a poor takedown

and Drago counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Drago.
Drago has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Powel avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruno Drago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drago prevents the takedown attempt.

Powel is trying to trip Drago. He has hold of a leg but Drago is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Powel persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Drago is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Powel is controlling him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Powel drops back looking for a leg! Drago is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Drago manages to kick Powel off! Powel jumps back into Drago's guard.
Powel throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shifiinity Powel dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Powel doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Drago to counter with a crisp jab.
Drago throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Powel misses with a takedown
and Drago counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Powel circles away from the clinch attempt.

Drago gets a clinch.
Powel is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Drago pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bruno Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shifiinity Powel.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Powel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Drago is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Drago lands with a left to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drago jumps guard but Powel stands there with Drago around his waist. Drago gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Powel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Drago is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Drago jumps guard and drags Powel to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Drago is looking to stand up but Powel isn't so interested in that idea.
Powel thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powel prevents Drago from getting back to his feet.
Powel looking to pass the guard.
Powel postures up in Drago's guard and throws a big left but Drago blocks it.
Powel prevents Drago from getting back to his feet.
Powel trying to control but Drago 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.

Drago scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Drago decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Powel closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Drago did well to prevent Powel getting side control.
Drago is trying to stand.
Powel thows a huge punch but Drago dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Powel wants to pass the guard but Drago is defending well.

Powel in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Drago tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Powel!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Shifiinity Powel!