PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Howie Finkelman (ranked 23264 p4p, 2384 weight class) and Ivan Draganov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howie Finkelman has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Finkelman
vs
Draganov

174 cm
28
152
4 - 11 - 0

178 cm
32
154
16 - 10 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Howie Finkelman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ivan Draganov!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Draganov lands with a straight right. Finkelman didn't see that one coming.
Finkelman looks to throw the jab but Draganov is out of range.
Finkelman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Draganov manages to avoid it.
Finkelman showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Draganov.
Draganov walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Draganov moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Finkelman looks to land a left hand but Draganov moved out of range nicely.
Finkelman has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Sparks mma in the buildup to the fight.
Finkelman scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Finkelman misses with the combination.
Draganov moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A good leg kick by Draganov.
Finkelman takes one on the chin but seems OK.
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!
The fighters circling - Finkelman throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Finkelman darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

It looks like Ivan Draganov has been cut.
Draganov looks to land a combination. Finkelman sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Draganov dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Finkelman. That did some damage!
Finkelman thows a left - swing and a miss!
Draganov looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Draganov throws a leg kick which misses Finkelman's front leg but catches the back leg as Finkelman tries to avoid it.
Finkelman misses with an uppercut
and Draganov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Finkelman throws the left hand but Draganov avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Finkelman. Draganov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Finkelman lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Draganov circles away quickly and effectively.
Draganov is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Finkelman scores with a hook to the body. Draganov takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Finkelman missing with a left hand there. Draganov was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Finkelman misses with a body shot.
Draganov flicks out a counter leg kick but Finkelman steps away.
Finkelman throws a body punch but Draganov moves out of range.
Finkelman lands a nice shot to the body.
Draganov with a jab.
Draganov lands a slapping body shot.
Draganov misses with a wild body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Finkelman lands a glancing blow to the side of Draganov's head.
Draganov thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Finkelman if he has to take too many more of those.
Draganov lands with a kick to the temple. Finkelman shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
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!
Finkelman throws a body punch but Draganov moves out of range.
Draganov's corner calls for a 1-2. Draganov obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Finkelman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Draganov jabs Finkelman right on the nose. Finkelman blinks but takes it well.
A nice leg kick from Draganov, right into the meat of the thigh.
Draganov throws a right and a left that Finkelman avoids nicely.
Draganov lands with a slapping head kick.
Draganov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Draganov throws out a counter right but Finkelman avoids it with no problem.
Draganov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Finkelman was well out of range. Poor timing from Draganov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draganov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Finkelman moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice defenses there by Draganov.
Draganov tries a head kick but it misses.
Draganov paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Draganov lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Finkelman takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Finkelman misses with a straight right.
Finkelman throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Draganov sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Draganov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Draganov thuds his shin into the meat of Finkelman's side.
A slapping leg kick lands for Draganov.
Draganov scores with a jab to the head.
Draganov fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Finkelman has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Finkelman takes a swing at Draganov's ribcage but misses.
Draganov moves out of range of the strikes.
Finkelman throws a hook but Draganov avoids it easily.
Draganov moves away from the strike by Finkelman.
Draganov with a jab.
Finkelman looks to score with a jab to the body but Draganov is just out of range.
Finkelman stalks Draganov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Draganov's face. Draganov staggers backwards, shaken.
Finkelman lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Draganov.
Draganov feints a jab promting Finkelman to slip. Draganov then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Finkelman slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Finkelman swings for the body but Draganov moves out of range.
Finkelman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Draganov is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Finkelman had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
That kick from Draganov tenderised Finkelman's leg. Finkelman is trying to keep his angry face on.
Draganov lands a head shot.
Draganov lands a nice hook to Finkelman's body. Finkelman takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Draganov connects with a single shot there.
Finkelman misses with a hook.
Draganov slips a jab from Finkelman.
Draganov blocks a jab.
Finkelman takes a swing at Draganov's ribcage but misses.
A big left from Finkelman misses.
Finkelman throws a right and a left that Draganov avoids nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Draganov goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Draganov slips a straight right by Finkelman.
Draganov changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Draganov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Finkelman misses with a jab to the body
and Draganov counters with a series of strikes. Finkelman will be more careful next time no doubt.
Finkelman takes a jab right on the kisser.
Finkelman takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Finkelman is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finkelman just misses with a punch to the body.
Finkelman takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Oh Finkelman is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Draganov lands with a nice combination. Finkelman backs away looking to recover.
Draganov misses with a series of wild punches.
Draganov feints with a jab and clips Finkelman right behind the ear with a massive overhand right! Finkelman is sent crashing into the canvas and Draganov leaps in for the kill! Finkelman tries to get to his feet but Draganov is just battering him from every conceivable angle. The ref decides that Finkelman is in need of a savior and steps in!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan Draganov!
After the fight, Ivan Draganov was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.