PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Cranmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drago Solovyov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drago Solovyov acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Cranmer
vs
Solovyov

225 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kyle Cranmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Drago Solovyov!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Solovyov throws a right hand that Cranmer ducks under and follows up with a left that Cranmer also avoids with ease.
Cranmer blocks a jab.
Cranmer fails with a takedown attempt.

Solovyov moves into the clinch successfully.

Solovyov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Solovyov clinches up with Cranmer and pushes him back against the cage.

Solovyov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Solovyov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Solovyov gets a clinch.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Solovyov has taken the fight to the clinch.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Solovyov.
Solovyov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Solovyov fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cranmer.
Drago Solovyov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Solovyov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cranmer tries to bum rush Solovyov with a series of wild strikes but Solovyov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Solovyov tries a head kick but it misses.
Solovyov wants to clinch.
Solovyov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Solovyov tries to clinch up but Cranmer circles away and keeps his distance.

Solovyov closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cranmer wants to stall.
Cranmer is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Solovyov to keep the fight standing.
Cranmer wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Solovyov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cranmer's efforts to push away.
Cranmer wants to get back to striking at distance but Solovyov won't allow it.
Cranmer is trying to drag Solovyov to the mat but Solovyov just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Cranmer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cranmer moves into the clinch.

Solovyov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Solovyov connects with a high kick.

Solovyov rushes Cranmer and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Solovyov manages to break the clinch.
Cranmer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cranmer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Solovyov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Solovyov misses with a head kick.

Cranmer has managed to clinch.

Solovyov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Solovyov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Solovyov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cranmer.

Solovyov drives through and clinches with Cranmer against the cage.
Cranmer is trying to push Solovyov away but Solovyov has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cranmer fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cranmer slips a jab from Solovyov.
Cranmer is breathing heavily.

Solovyov has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cranmer jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Solovyov walks away with a smile on his face. Cranmer gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Cranmer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cranmer fails in his attempt to clinch.

Solovyov has taken the fight to the clinch.

Solovyov manages to break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Solovyov has closed the distance and engaged Cranmer in a clinch.
Cranmer misses with a short punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cranmer throws a nice looking combination but Solovyov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice defenses there by Cranmer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drago Solovyov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Solovyov gets a clinch.

Solovyov breaks the clinch.
Solovyov tries to clinch there but Cranmer circles away.

Solovyov forces Cranmer back against the cage and clinches.
Cranmer looking to slow down the pace here.
Cranmer wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Solovyov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cranmer displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Solovyov throws out the jab.
Solovyov misses with a looping left.
Solovyov throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Solovyov has managed to clinch.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.
Cranmer takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cranmer takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Solovyov clinches up with Cranmer and pushes him back against the cage.
Cranmer wants to stall.
Cranmer has had enough of the clinch but Solovyov keeps him there for the moment.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Drago Solovyov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cranmer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Solovyov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Solovyov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cranmer tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solovyov punishes Cranmer's body with a nice straight punch.
Solovyov loads up on a big right hand but Cranmer slips the punch.
Solovyov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Solovyov has Cranmer up against the cage in a clinch.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Solovyov closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Solovyov avoids a wild elbow strike from Cranmer.
Solovyov keeps control of Cranmer as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Solovyov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cranmer doesn't manage to clinch there - Solovyov circles away.

Solovyov has Cranmer up against the cage in a clinch.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solovyov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Solovyov with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Solovyov scores with a head kick. Cranmer tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Kyle Cranmer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Solovyov throws a head kick that misses.
Solovyov connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cranmer's hands.
Solovyov misses with a double jab.
Solovyov is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

Solovyov clinches up with Cranmer and pushes him back against the cage.

Solovyov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Solovyov moves into range and clinches up with Cranmer.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Solovyov in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Solovyov moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.

Solovyov clinches.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed right hand from Solovyov misses the target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Solovyov has Cranmer up against the cage in a clinch.

Solovyov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cranmer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Solovyov misses with a few strikes there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Solovyov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Solovyov throws a right and a left that Cranmer avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drago Solovyov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Solovyov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Solovyov drives through and clinches with Cranmer against the cage.

Solovyov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Solovyov closes the distance and clinches.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Solovyov breaks the clinch.
Solovyov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Solovyov tries to clinch but Cranmer moves out of range.
Solovyov misses with a double jab
and Cranmer counters with a three punch combo that has Solovyov backing up. Solovyov nods at Cranmer to acknowledge the strikes.
Solovyov swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cranmer counters with a nice uppercut.
Solovyov lands a leg kick that knocks Cranmer off balance momentarily.
Solovyov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cranmer paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solovyov dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cranmer. That did some damage!
Solovyov throws a nice looking combination but Cranmer bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Solovyov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cranmer moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Drago Solovyov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cranmer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Solovyov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Cranmer tries to keep at a distance but Solovyov has taken the fight into the clinch.

Solovyov manages to break the clinch.
Solovyov throws a series of punches but Cranmer avoids them all with ease.
Solovyov misses with a head kick.
Cranmer looks to land a combination but Solovyov avoids it well.

Solovyov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice shot lands for Solovyov.
Cranmer blocks a jab.
Cranmer swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Solovyov instigates a clinch.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.

Solovyov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Solovyov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Solovyov tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cranmer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Solovyov closes the distance and pushes Cranmer back into the cage.
Solovyov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cranmer stalling in the clinch but Solovyov improves position.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solovyov misses with a jab, cross combination.

Solovyov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Solovyov.

Solovyov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Solovyov takes the fight into the clinch.

Solovyov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Solovyov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Solovyov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cranmer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cranmer chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Solovyov can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solovyov throws a right and a left that both miss.

Solovyov drives through and clinches with Cranmer against the cage.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.

Solovyov instigates a clinch.
Cranmer tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cranmer can't break the clinch.

Solovyov breaks from the clinch.
Cranmer blocks a head kick by Solovyov.

Solovyov instigates a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cranmer throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Solovyov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kyle Cranmer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Solovyov clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Drago Solovyov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Solovyov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

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