PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kaden Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Custio Sliva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Drake
vs
Sliva

178 cm
25
177 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

186 cm
23
188 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Pro-Valiance Nutrition **SALE**
Pro-Valiance Nutrition **SALE**

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kaden Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Custio Sliva!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sliva's waist but Sliva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Drake off to one side.

Drake gets the takedown into side control.

Drake looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sliva is looking to regain half guard here but Drake keeps moving and retains side control.
Sliva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Drake looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Drake is trying to get an arm triangle but Sliva is defending well.
Sliva is looking to regain half guard here but Drake keeps moving and retains side control.

Drake wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sliva, who protects the arm well.
Sliva is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake trying to control the action but Sliva is working from the bottom.

Drake is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sliva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Drake thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sliva is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Drake's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Drake is keen to just control but Sliva is a slippery customer.
Drake trying to mount his opponent but Sliva defends it.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sliva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drake pulls his head out easily.

Sliva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Sliva looking for submissions off his back.

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.
Sliva is not content to let Drake control the position.

Sliva looking for submissions off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Drake misses with a takedown attempt - Sliva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Drake closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Drake wants to control but Sliva is keeping him busy.
Drake works his way into side control.

Drake is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sliva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Drake is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drake thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sliva regains half guard.
Drake moves into full mount! Sliva won't be happy about that!
Sliva working to try and regain half guard.

Drake looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sliva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Drake looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sliva is trying to escape the mount.

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.

Drake is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sliva can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Drake has control of Sliva's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Sliva regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Sliva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sliva sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Drake is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sliva is just riding it out for now. Drake eventually gives up the hold.

Sliva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drake pulls his head out easily.

Sliva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaden Drake dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Drake shoots in for a takedown but Sliva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sliva leaves Drake with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Drake shoots in for a takedown but Sliva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaden Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown by Drake or perhaps it was just good defense by Sliva which made him look bad.
Drake shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sliva sprawls well. Sliva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Drake gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sliva slaps away a takedown attempt from Drake, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Drake shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sliva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

Sliva has his foot on Drake's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Drake works his way back into a safe position though.
Drake passes Sliva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake trying to control from half guard but Sliva is working away.

Sliva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Drake not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake trying to mount his opponent but Sliva defends it.
Drake is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Sliva defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Drake.

Drake with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Sliva is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Drake can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sliva is looking to escape.
Sliva is looking to get to half guard.
Kaden Drake overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Drake is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sliva is surviving well by controlling Drake's body position as best he can.
Sliva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Drake with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sliva slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Drake here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Sliva tries to get to full guard but Drake has control of the leg.

Drake looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Drake is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sliva has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Drake is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sliva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
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 Kaden Drake will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Drake shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Drake showed some decent athleticism there.
Drake passes to full mount!
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sliva is trying desperately to improve position.

Drake is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sliva is surviving well by controlling Drake's body position as best he can.
Drake looking to control but Sliva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Drake working for a guillotine from mount but Sliva is in no mood to give up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sliva working to try and regain half guard.
Sliva regains half guard.

Sliva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Sliva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drake pulls his head out easily.

Drake looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Drake takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

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.

Drake is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Drake is trying to control the action in half guard but Sliva is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sliva is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Drake's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Drake's back!

Sliva has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Sliva looking for the choke but no joy.
Drake just trying to survive but Sliva is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Drake defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Sliva's arms.
Sliva is trying to stick to Drake's back but Drake is turning into Sliva. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Sliva's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Drake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drake drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Drake jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Drake slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Sliva looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Drake drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Drake jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

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

Drake drops back looking for a leg! Sliva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sliva manages to kick Drake off! Drake jumps back into Sliva's guard.
Drake pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sliva is keeping the position for now.

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.

Drake drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Drake jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Sliva had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Drake defends it easily.
Drake trying to control but Sliva is working from the bottom.
Sliva keeping full guard, as Drake tries to pass.
Drake sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sliva's guard.

Drake is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sliva defends it well.

Sliva actively working from the bottom here.
Custio Sliva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Drake uses his free foot to push down on Sliva's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sliva.

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 Kaden Drake.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Drake, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaden Drake!