PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bongo Drum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greg Pandan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Greg Pandan will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Drum
vs
Pandan

150 cm
26
135 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
142 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bongo Drum!
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, Greg Pandan!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pandan misses with a series of wild punches.

Pandan rushes Drum and presses him up against the cage.
Drum tries to pull guard but Pandan won't allow it.

Pandan breaks the clinch.

Pandan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Drum jumps guard but Pandan stands there with Drum around his waist. Drum gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A short right from Pandan on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pandan misses with a punch on the inside.

Drum manages to break the clinch.

Pandan moves into range and clinches up with Drum.
Drum is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pandan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bongo Drum. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drum manages to pull guard.
Pandan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drum preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Drum really is a fat lump.
Pandan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pandan wants to control from the top but Drum keeps moving.
Pandan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pandan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Drum working for a triangle but Pandan defends it easily.
Drum keeping moving, preventing Pandan from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pandan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pandan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pandan lands a couple of elbows.
Pandan landing with the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pandan connects with a couple of short punches.
Drum is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pandan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drum. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Drum is looking for a triangle but Pandan pushes his legs off easily.
Pandan told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
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.
Pandan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pandan throwing strikes but missing.
Pandan wants to control from the top but Drum keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pandan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

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

Drum has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pandan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pandan postures up in Drum's guard and throws a big left but Drum blocks it.

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.
Pandan lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pandan looking to sit in guard and control but Drum gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Pandan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Drum doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Drum manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Pandan has an active guard here but Drum has managed to pass into half guard.
Drum trying to control from half guard but Pandan is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pandan is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Pandan 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.

Nice takedown defense from Pandan. No joy for Drum on that attempt.
Pandan scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Pandan connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Drum takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Drum gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pandan cracks Drum with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Drum looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Pandan fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Drum to the ground. Pandan is now in Drum's guard.
Drum avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Drum has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pandan trying to control but Drum is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drum pulls Pandan in to control the position.

Drum escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pandan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pandan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Drum is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Drum looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Greg Pandan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Drum keeping moving, preventing Pandan from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.
Drum is pulling down on Pandan's head to control his posture.
Pandan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pandan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drum might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pandan trying to control the position from guard on top but Drum is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pandan postures up in Drum's guard and throws a big left but Drum blocks it.

Pandan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Drum wants to sweep here but Pandan controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pandan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pandan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pandan wants to control from the top but Drum keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Pandan lands with a cross.
Drum tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pandan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Drum somewhat.
And Pandan tries to counter it with a takedown but Drum pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pandan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bongo Drum is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pandan takes the fight into the clinch.

Drum pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pandan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Drum shoots in for a takedown but Pandan shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bongo Drum. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pandan manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Drum on his heels. He'll look to pass Drum's guard now, I'm sure.
Pandan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pandan throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Pandan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Good shot there by Pandan.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pandan!
Drum walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Pandan lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Pandan has managed to clinch.
Drum is trying to pull guard but Pandan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Drum blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pandan throws an elbow that misses.
Pandan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pandan taking a breather.
Pandan leaning his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Pandan's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pandan misses with a punch on the inside.

Drum jumps guard.

Drum has his foot on Pandan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pandan works his way back into a safe position though.

Pandan stands over his opponent and dives in with a flying punch! Drum throws up his legs and catches Pandan in a triangle! Oh this looks tight! Pandan tries to escape but he's forced to tap! Wow, fantastic work there by Drum! That came out of nowhere!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Bongo Drum!
Bongo Drum was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.