PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Dragonov (ranked 3670 p4p, 3773 weight class) and Christian Mathers (ranked 339 p4p, 344 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dragonov
vs
Mathers

170 cm
28
148
7 - 8 - 0

171 cm
27
150
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Ivan Dragonov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Christian Mathers!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Summer Carpenter and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathers lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Dragonov backs up against the cage.
Mathers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mathers throws a right hand that Dragonov ducks under and follows up with a left that Dragonov also avoids with ease.
Mathers lands a jab to the nose.
Mathers looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd cheers as Mathers lands an impressive looking overhand right. Dragonov doesn't seem phased though.

Dragonov clinches with his opponent.
Dragonov misses with a knee to the head.
Dragonov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Dragonov as the two fighters clinch.
Dragonov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee calls for Dragonov to work.
Mathers tries for a takedown. No joy.

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

Dragonov instigates a clinch.
Dragonov stops a takedown attempt from Mathers.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mathers manages to break the clinch.
Mathers will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dragonov checks a leg kick nicely.
Dragonov takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Dragonov moves out of range of the body kick from Mathers.
Mathers lands with a straight right. Dragonov didn't see that one coming.
Ivan Dragonov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mathers misses with a takedown attempt
and Dragonov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Dragonov has been working on his boxing with his coaches at JAG Battle Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Ivan Dragonov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christian Mathers.
Mathers throws a series of punches but Dragonov moves out of range.
It looked like Dragonov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Mathers tries to bum rush Dragonov with a series of wild strikes but Dragonov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch combination from Mathers misses.
Mathers misses with a double jab
and Dragonov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Dragonov clinches up with Mathers and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragonov lands a shot to the body.
Mathers looks winded!
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short body shot lands from Dragonov as the two fighters clinch.
Dragonov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Dragonov scores with a shoulder strike.
Dragonov pushes Mathers back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Dragonov has the Thai plumb, controlling the head nicely. He loads up with a big knee to the head and Mathers goes down! Dragonov pounces into side control - this one could be over soon!

Mathers is rocked!

It looks like Christian Mathers has been cut.
Mathers being controlled for a moment.
Mathers is still in real trouble! Can Dragonov finish him?
Mathers regains half guard, as Dragonov was trying to land strikes.
Mathers seems to have recovered his senses.
Dragonov trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragonov stops Mathers from getting back to his feet.
Mathers is doing well to control the position and prevent Dragonov from advancing to side control.
Dragonov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mathers defending well though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Mathers is trying to stand up here but Dragonov is controlling him well.
Mathers is trying to maintain the position but Dragonov is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dragonov controlling the action here.
Mathers wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Mathers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mathers misses with a series of wild punches.
Dragonov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mathers lands a jab to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Dragonov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Christian Mathers's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mathers throws a leg kick that misses.
Dragonov wants to clinch up but Mathers keeps it at a distance.
Mathers moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Dragonov forces Mathers back against the cage and clinches.
Still in the clinch, Dragonov scores with a nice short uppercut.
Dragonov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dragonov lands a knee to the body.

Dragonov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dragonov tries to clinch up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Good body shot from Dragonov.

Mathers breaks from the clinch.
Christian Mathers seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mathers fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Dragonov checks it well.
Mathers lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dragonov clinches.

Dragonov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dragonov is looking to clinch but Mathers is avoiding it.
Christian Mathers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dragonov lands a nice looking body shot.

Dragonov clinches.
Dragonov working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Dragonov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dragonov is looking to clinch.
Dragonov throws a body shot but no joy.

Dragonov moves into the clinch.

Mathers's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mathers fails to land with a series of punches.
Dragonov tries to clinch but Mathers moves out of range.
Mathers goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dragonov has taken the fight to the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Mathers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mathers throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dragonov counters with a straight right hand.
Dragonov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mathers drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dragonov defends it well.
Dragonov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dragonov slips a jab from Mathers.
Dragonov moves out of range as Mathers strikes.
Mathers misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A little feinted left hand from Dragonov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Mathers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mathers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As Dragonov backs off Mathers throws a huge counter combo but Dragonov manages to avoid it all.

Dragonov rushes Mathers and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dragonov landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Mathers is breathing heavily.
Dragonov stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragonov works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Mathers breaks the clinch.
Mathers keeps the fight on the outside.

Dragonov takes the fight into the clinch.
Mathers on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Dragonov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dragonov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mathers can do to turn this around?
Mathers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mathers swats away the attempt to clinch by Dragonov.
Dragonov tries to clinch but Mathers is having none of it.
Dragonov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mathers throws a leg kick that misses.
Dragonov tries to clinch there but Mathers circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mathers swats away the attempt to clinch by Dragonov.
Mathers chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Mathers keeps the fight on the outside.
Mathers has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Mathers scores with a punch to the head.
Dragonov slips a jab and a cross from Mathers.
Dragonov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mathers scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Dragonov moves into the clinch successfully.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Dragonov gets through Mathers's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Dragonov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ivan Dragonov will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Christian Mathers's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Dragonov doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathers circles away.
Dragonov tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mathers keeps the fight on the outside.
Despite the aggression on Mathers's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Mathers cracks Dragonov with a good jab.
Mathers misses with an uppercut

and Dragonov holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dragonov lands a nice knee to the body.

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

Dragonov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dragonov lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dragonov pushes off an throws an elbow but Mathers leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dragonov tries to land a knee to the head but Mathers blocks with his arms.
Dragonov works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Mathers's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mathers takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Dragonov moves into range and clinches up with Mathers.
Mathers avoids the elbow strike from Dragonov, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers displaying some good clinch control by pressing Dragonov up against the cage.

Mathers breaks the clinch.
Dragonov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mathers swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mathers misses with the combination.
A left and a right from Mathers both land. Nice combination.

Dragonov closes the distance and pushes Mathers back into the cage.

Mathers breaks the clinch.
Mathers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dragonov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Christian Mathers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers thows a leg kick but Dragonov checks it
and Dragonov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mathers lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Dragonov backs up against the cage.
Dragonov tries to clinch there but Mathers circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dragonov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mathers keeps the fight on the outside.
Christian Mathers is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mathers!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dragonov is looking to clinch.
As Dragonov backs off Mathers throws a huge counter combo but Dragonov manages to avoid it all.
Dragonov closes the distance but Mathers moves to the side
and Mathers counters with a left and a right that stings Dragonov.
Dragonov tries to clinch but Mathers moves out of range.
Mathers lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Mathers misses with a combination
and Dragonov counters with a lovely shot to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mathers breaks the clinch.

Dragonov takes the fight into the clinch.

Mathers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dragonov wants to clinch up but Mathers keeps it at a distance.
Dragonov doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathers circles away.
Mathers throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dragonov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dragonov walks into a straight right hand from Mathers.
Dragonov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No joy there for Mathers, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Dragonov doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathers circles away.
Dragonov wants to clinch up but Mathers keeps it at a distance.
Despite the aggression on Mathers's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dragonov tries to clinch but Mathers is having none of it.
Dragonov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mathers misses with an uppercut
and Dragonov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mathers thinking.
Mathers swats away the attempt to clinch by Dragonov.
Mathers takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Dragonov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dragonov wants to clinch up but Mathers keeps it at a distance.

Dragonov closes the distance and pushes Mathers back into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mathers struggles to land a body shot inside as Dragonov controls his hands.

Dragonov breaks from the clinch.
Dragonov is looking to clinch.
Ivan Dragonov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dragonov needs to keep his hands up - Mathers had a free shot at his head there.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Christian Mathers.
I think Dragonov has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Dean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28

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