PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gemechu McKraken (ranked 106 p4p, 220 weight class) and Valen Dreth (ranked 16 p4p, 29 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

McKraken
vs
Dreth

170 cm
33
140
23 - 12 - 1

175 cm
31
143
21 - 9 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
HELLBENT

HELLBENT
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

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 23 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Gemechu McKraken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Valen Dreth!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dreth throws a leg kick that is checked

and McKraken counters with a single leg into guard. Dreth didn't expect that.
McKraken pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dreth is keeping the position for now.
McKraken is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
McKraken wants to control from the top but Dreth keeps moving.
Dreth wants to sweep here but McKraken controlling him for the moment.
McKraken looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKraken working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McKraken advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKraken stalling away here and it's allowed Dreth to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Dreth preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
McKraken is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
McKraken trying to control but Dreth is working from the bottom.
Dreth preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
McKraken is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
McKraken postures up in Dreth's guard and throws a big left but Dreth blocks it.
McKraken throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
McKraken working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McKraken trying to control the position from guard on top but Dreth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
McKraken uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Dreth.
McKraken on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dreth. Dreth obviously looking to wear him down.
Dreth cracks McKraken with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Dreth looks to score with a jab to the body but McKraken is just out of range.
McKraken moves away from the strike by Dreth.
McKraken appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Dreth avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Valen Dreth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McKraken connects with a single shot there.
Dreth motions for McKraken to come forward. Dreth throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
McKraken appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Dreth connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dreth throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McKraken drops down looking for a counter takedown but Dreth sprawls and moves away.
Dreth swings for the body but McKraken moves out of range.
Dreth throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dreth lands with a thumping leg kick.
Dreth throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
McKraken slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Dreth lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Dreth scores with a crisp jab that stopped McKraken in his tracks.
McKraken takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Dreth connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A slow jab from McKraken misses its intended target.
McKraken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Dreth.
Dreth fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McKraken manages to avoid it.
Dreth shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. McKraken eats them both and turns towards Dreth to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Valen Dreth is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McKraken fails with a takedown attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dreth misses with a low kick as McKraken jumps back.
McKraken tries to counter with a takedown but Dreth is quick to defend against it.
McKraken chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dreth can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dreth will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
McKraken avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A head kick misses from Dreth.
McKraken changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Dreth throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
McKraken shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Dreth misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
McKraken steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Dreth.
Dreth connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between McKraken's hands.
McKraken blocks a head kick by Dreth.
McKraken tries to counter with a takedown but Dreth is quick to defend against it.
Dreth throws a shot from downtown. McKraken moves away and avoids it.
McKraken connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
McKraken looks for a takedown but Dreth sprawls well.
McKraken lands a body shot.
Dreth throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valen Dreth dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Dreth swings away with a leg kick that misses.
McKraken avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McKraken attempts a counter takedown but Dreth avoids it well and moves away.
Dreth falls off balance throwing a combination

and McKraken counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dreth tries to roll over but McKraken keeps him under control.
McKraken is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Dreth!
McKraken has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Dreth's face.
McKraken trying to control but Dreth is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKraken breaks from Dreth's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gemechu McKraken overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dreth is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKraken looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dreth bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
McKraken has his hands on Dreth's head, controlling the position.
McKraken tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKraken is trying to control the position but Dreth postures up.
Dreth trying to control the position from guard on top but McKraken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dreth is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
McKraken trying to keep a closed guard but Dreth is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dreth won't allow McKraken to sweep him here.

McKraken has his foot on Dreth's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dreth works his way back into a safe position though.
McKraken wants to sweep but no luck.
McKraken wants to hit a sweep here but Dreth passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for McKraken there!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Dreth avoids the attempt from McKraken to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKraken is trying desperately to improve position.
McKraken regains half guard.
Dreth wants to take a breather but McKraken is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dreth throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McKraken is looking to improve his position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gemechu McKraken dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Dreth throws a front kick aimed at McKraken's knee but McKraken avoids it well.
Dreth missing with a left hand there. McKraken was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Valen Dreth seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McKraken tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dreth defends well and McKraken ends up having to push Dreth into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
It seemed like Dreth was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
McKraken is looking to take this one to the mat.
Dreth throws a blind hook that connects with the side of McKrakens head.
McKraken tries to pull guard but Dreth forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gemechu McKraken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dreth misses with the head strike.
McKraken blocking some punches.
I was talking to McKraken's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
McKraken lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Dreth backwards.
McKraken stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Dreth misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKraken blocks a body shot from Dreth.
Dreth can't break the clinch.
Dreth lands with a right to the head.
McKraken looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKraken tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
McKraken misses with some punches.
Dreth looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dreth blocking some punches.
McKraken keeps control of Dreth as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McKraken swings wildly with an uppercut but Dreth uses good head movement to avoid it.
McKraken has a couple of punches blocked by Dreth.
McKraken lands with a left to the head.
Dreth swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Dreth tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dreth blocks an uppercut.

McKraken manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
McKraken looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dreth is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dreth works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Dreth moves nicely into side control.
McKraken struggling a bit here.
McKraken is not content to let Dreth control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McKraken is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McKraken wants to control but Dreth is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dreth moves nicely into side control.
McKraken taking a bit of punishment here - Dreth scoring with strikes.
McKraken sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Dreth working his ground and pound in the gym.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dreth passes the guard and advances to mount!
Dreth is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. McKraken can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
McKraken is squirming around, avoiding Dreth's attempts to control the action.
Dreth lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dreth throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for McKraken because Dreth loaded up on that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valen Dreth comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dreth has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valen Dreth!
Our winner, Valen Dreth, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.