PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cletus Drake (ranked 6514 p4p, 0 weight class) and Knuckle Up (ranked 5688 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Drake
vs
Up

186 cm
24
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
189 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cletus Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Knuckle Up !
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Up tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Drake defends well and Up ends up having to push Drake into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Drake throws a big counter combination but Up scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Up cracks the inside of Drake's front leg.
Up misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cletus Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Knuckle Up .
Up shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drake pinned against the cage. Drake gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Up paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Up rushes Drake and presses him up against the cage.
Up tries to pull guard but Drake holds him up against the cage and eventually Up drops back down to his feet.

Up manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake takes the fight into the clinch.
Drake wants a takedown but no success here.

Drake pulls guard effortlessly.
Up looking to pass the guard.

Drake looking for a guillotine here but Up defends easily.
Up trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Drake manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Up working for submissions but it's allowed Drake to get to half guard.
Up trying to control but Drake postures up.
Up is looking for a sweep. Drake is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Drake will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Up missing with punches from the bottom.

Drake postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Up to stand up.
Drake wants to clinch up but Up keeps it at a distance.
Up shoots for a takedown but Drake saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to clinch but Up moves out of range.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Up swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Up closes the distance and clinches up with Drake, looking for a takedown. Up pushes Drake against the cage but Drake circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Drake is looking to clinch.
Drake tries to clinch up.

Drake closes the distance and clinches.
Drake is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Up pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Up manages to pull guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Up working for submissions but it's allowed Drake to get to half guard.
Up looks winded!
Up avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Drake.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Up tries to roll over but Drake keeps him under control.

Drake escapes and gets back to his feet.
Up shoots in for a takedown but Drake shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Up is trying hard to land a takedown here. Drake sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Up moves into range and clinches up with Drake.
Drake jumps guard but Up turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drake tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Drake has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Up uses from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cletus Drake dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Up shoots in but Drake avoids the takedown attempt easily.
It looked like Drake was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Drake tries to clinch but Up is having none of it.
Up lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Up feints and as Drake raises his hands in defense, Up changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Drake working for a triangle but Up defends it easily.

Drake working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Up doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Drake is tightening it up a little... Up has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Up reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Up taps out! Nice BJJ there by Drake!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Cletus Drake!