PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kaden Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franz Van Dijk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franz Van Dijk has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Drake
vs
Van Dijk

178 cm
24
177 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Pro-Valiance Nutrition **SALE**
Pro-Valiance Nutrition **SALE**

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kaden Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Franz Van Dijk!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Van Dijk gets the takedown into side control.
Drake can't do much from the bottom here.
Drake regains half guard.
Drake wants to improve his position but Van Dijk is controlling well.
Drake avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Van Dijk.
Drake avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Van Dijk.
Drake wants to improve his position but Van Dijk is controlling well.
Van Dijk trying to control from half guard but Drake is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Dijk is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Drake takes a swing at Van Dijk's ribcage but misses.
Drake has his takedown stuffed

and Van Dijk counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Drake has hold of Van Dijk's hands but Van Dijk slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are battling for position here. Drake manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Van Dijk postures up.

Drake escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Van Dijk gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Van Dijk trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drake had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van Dijk defends it easily.
Van Dijk throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Drake is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Drake is really struggling to control Van Dijk but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Van Dijk got a little sloppy there for a moment and Drake has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Van Dijk has managed to get both his arms back between Drake's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Dijk controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Drake has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Van Dijk can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Dijk trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
Drake trying to keep a closed guard but Van Dijk is proving a slippery customer.
Van Dijk trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franz Van Dijk dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Van Dijk gets the takedown into side control.
Drake manages to work his way to half guard, despite Van Dijk's best efforts.

Drake is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Dijk pulls his head out easily.
Drake trying to control from the bottom.
Drake tries to get to full guard but Van Dijk has control of the leg.
Drake wants to control but Van Dijk is keeping busy.

Drake looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Dijk is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Drake doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Van Dijk.
Van Dijk is controlling the pace.
Drake wants to control but Van Dijk passes into side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Van Dijk wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drake keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Van Dijk rushes Drake and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Drake jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Van Dijk walks away with a smile on his face. Drake gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Van Dijk misses with a takedown

and Drake counters with a takedown into side control.

Drake tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Drake tries for a kimura but Van Dijk is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Dijk tries to bench press Drake off him but Drake keeps the position.
Drake taking a breather here.
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Van Dijk keeps working.
Van Dijk tries to bench press Drake off him but Drake keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Drake tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Drake looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Van Dijk struggling a bit here.

Drake tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Drake trying to control the action but Van Dijk is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaden Drake dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Drake has his takedown stuffed

and Van Dijk counters with a single leg into guard. Drake didn't expect that.

Drake is rocked!
Franz Van Dijk has got the better of the ground game so far.
Drake looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Van Dijk wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.

Drake is looking for a triangle but Van Dijk pushes his legs off easily.
Van Dijk trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Van Dijk must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Van Dijk controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Van Dijk trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake being controlled here, momentarily.

Drake has his foot on Van Dijk's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Van Dijk works his way back into a safe position though.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Van Dijk accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Drake working for a triangle but Van Dijk defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Van Dijk from controlling successfully.

Drake looking for a guillotine here but Van Dijk defends easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Drake is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Dijk is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Drake trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Drake advances position into side control!

Drake working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake trying to control the position but Van Dijk is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Van Dijk tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Van Dijk is not content to let Drake control the position.
Van Dijk tries to buck Drake off but Drake is having none of it.

Drake tries for a kimura but Van Dijk is defending well.
Van Dijk is looking to reverse the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Franz Van Dijk.
I think Van Dijk 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Franz Van Dijk!