PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James White (ranked 3562 p4p, 6510 weight class) and Ivan Draganov (ranked 422 p4p, 558 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

White
vs
Draganov

178 cm
20
158
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
20
155
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ivan Draganov!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Lou da Vinci and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Draganov scores with a jab to the body.
Draganov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
That kick from Draganov tenderised White's leg. White is trying to keep his angry face on.
Draganov feints and then cracks White's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow White down.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
White scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

It looks like Ivan Draganov has been cut.
White misses the shot to the body.
Draganov thumps White with a low kick.
White misses with a jab to the body
and Draganov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Draganov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A looping hook to the body misses from White. Draganov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Draganov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
White walks into a stiff left hand from Draganov.
White scores with a shot to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Draganov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Draganov is looking to clinch.
Draganov slips under a jab from White.
Draganov tries to clinch but fails miserably
and White counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Draganov missing with a left hand there. White was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Draganov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Draganov wants to counter with a clinch but White pushes him away.
Draganov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but White manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
White looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
White lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
White dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ivan Draganov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
White throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Draganov. White does a little dance to reset his feet.
It looked like White was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Draganov.
Draganov is looking to clinch but White is avoiding it.
White throws a body shot but no joy.
White is looking to wear down Draganov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Draganov lands a nice hook to White's body. White takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
White just misses with a punch to the body.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Draganov! But no joy.
Draganov looks to land a right hand but White moved out of range.
White was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
White takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A jab from White misses.
White throws a hook but Draganov blocks it.
Draganov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Draganov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Draganov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
White throws a body shot but no joy.
Draganov is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
White takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Good exchange - White coming out on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White misses the shot to the body.
White just misses with a punch to the body.
White lands a right hook to the body.
Draganov looks to score with a jab to the body but White is just out of range.
Draganov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Draganov misses with a wild body shot.
Draganov buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Draganov throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nice body punch from Draganov.
Draganov works the jab nicely.
White ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Draganov moves away.
Draganov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by White.
White with a hook.
A jab lands there for White.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
White throws out a loose jab but Draganov uses good head movement to avoid it.
White sets himself, and Draganov steps forward looking for the clinch! White avoids it this time.
White fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Draganov manages to avoid it.
White throws a right hand that misses
and Draganov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Draganov throws a jab but it's blocked by White.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James White will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ivan Draganov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Draganov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with White, pushing him back against the cage.
Draganov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Draganov lands a hook that snaps the head of White backwards.
Draganov struggles to land a body shot inside as White controls his hands.
Draganov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
White tries to break free but Draganov pushes him back against the cage.
Draganov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Draganov keeps control of White as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
White is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
White is trying to break the clinch but Draganov is controlling him.
Draganov working aggressively here.
Draganov lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Draganov lands with a short shot to the head.
White wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Draganov has him pressed against the cage.
Draganov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Draganov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Draganov 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.
White waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Draganov.
White works the jab nicely.
Draganov swinging wildly here.
White misses with an uppercut. Draganov saw that one coming.
Draganov slips a jab from White.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draganov swings for the body but White moves out of range.
A quick step to the side and White tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
White shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
White throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Draganov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Draganov throws a body punch but White moves out of range.
Draganov scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Draganov.
White misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Draganov.
White fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Draganov manages to avoid it.
White fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Draganov manages to avoid it.
White moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromDraganov.
White lands a body shot.
Draganov tries to clinch but White is having none of it.
Draganov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
White walks forward, straight into a front kick from Draganov.
Draganov digs a good hook to White's body.

Draganov closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draganov lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
White wants to break the clinch but can't.
Draganov throws a head punch that misses.
White has had enough of the clinch but Draganov keeps him there for the moment.
White tries to work over Draganov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Draganov scores with a nice hook to the head.
White has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Draganov lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
White is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A short uppercut from Draganov.
White's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Draganov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Draganov just leaning against White, taking a breather.
Draganov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Draganov lands with a right to the head.
A short right from Draganov on the inside.
Draganov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Draganov has White pushed against the cage.
Draganov tried to land a shot to the body but connects with White's elbow.
Ivan Draganov seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Draganov lands an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Draganov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ivan Draganov's cut.
That's time! White's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Draganov blocks a jab.
White misses with a looping left.
Draganov wants to clinch.
White throws a jab but it's blocked by Draganov.

Draganov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Draganov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
White is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Draganov tries to throw a body punch but White avoids it by throwing Draganov back against the cage.
Draganov scores with a nice hook to the head.
Draganov scores with a hook to the body.
White is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draganov lands a left hand.
Draganov lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of White backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Draganov.
Draganov lands a body punch.
Draganov lands with a left to the head.
Draganov lands a body punch.
Draganov slowing the pace effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Draganov as the two fighters clinch.

Draganov manages to break the clinch.
White gets cracked there but stands up to it.
White with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Draganov to score with a decent uppercut.
Draganov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Draganov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Draganov lands a hook that snaps the head of White backwards.
White can't break the clinch.
Draganov lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down White.
White tries to circle away but Draganov has him pinned against the cage.
White wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Draganov has him pressed against the cage.
Draganov prevents White from breaking the clinch.
Draganov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Draganov throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Whites head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
White wants to break free but Draganov has control.
A shot in the inside from Draganov.
Draganov swings wildly with an uppercut but White uses good head movement to avoid it.
White wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Draganov has him pressed against the cage.
White goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White stalling in the clinch but Draganov improves position.
Draganov misses with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Draganov.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good body shot from Draganov.
Draganov misses with the head strike.
Draganov struggles to land a body shot inside as White controls his hands.
Draganov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Draganov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short uppercut from Draganov.
White tries to break free but Draganov pushes him back against the cage.
White wants to get back to striking at distance but Draganov won't allow it.
White is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Draganov lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Draganov cracks White with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A right hand to the body from Draganov.
Draganov lands a hook that snaps the head of White backwards.
Draganov prevents a body shot from White.
A short body shot lands from Draganov as the two fighters clinch.
White doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Draganov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Draganov 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Draganov!