PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Butts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Drago
vs
Butts

150 cm
25
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

225 cm
25
277 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ivan Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Melvin Butts!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Bart Greer and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A bone on bone clash there as Butts blocks the leg kick.
Drago misses with a head kick.
Butts is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Drago tries a head kick but it misses.
Butts tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Butts's coach down at The Hut - $50 was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Butts's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Butts misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Drago is looking to score with low kicks.
Drago swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Butts with the counter takedown but Drago avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drago tries to land a front kick but Butts steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Drago throws a series of punches but Butts moves out of range.
Drago throws a sloppy head kick

and Butts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Drago's guard.
Butts trying to move into half guard but instead Drago has managed to sweep!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago landing with the ground and pound.
Butts wants to hit a switch here but Drago passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Butts there!
Butts is trying to escape the mount.
Drago misses with a head shot.
Butts wants to hold on but Drago pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Butts slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Butts trying to hold on to Drago's head to control him but Drago postures up.
Drago is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Butts slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Drago loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Drago throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Butts works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Butts keeping full guard, as Drago tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Butts keeping moving, preventing Drago from controlling successfully.
Drago wants to get up but he can't break Butts's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Butts pulls Drago in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Drago throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butts slips a jab and a cross from Drago.
Drago throws a nice looking combination but Butts bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Butts with the counter takedown but Drago avoids it easily.
Drago pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Butts manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Drago on his heels. He'll look to pass Drago's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Butts is looking to work some ground and pound but Drago has wrist control.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Butts from controlling successfully.
Butts showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Butts looking to sit in guard and control but Drago gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Butts trying to control the position here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Drago slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A head kick misses from Drago.
Butts dives in and grabs Drago's left leg, looking for a takedown. Drago pushes down on Butts's head and hops out.
Drago fails to land with a series of punches.
Butts shoots in looking for a takedown but Drago manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Butts's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Drago misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Butts changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Butts avoids the body shot from Drago.
Butts avoids the head kick by Drago.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drago tries to land a leg kick but Butts saw it coming and moves away.
Butts with the counter takedown but Drago avoids it easily.
Drago fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Drago throws a head kick that misses.
Butts changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Butts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Butts avoids a punch combination nicely.

Butts feints and as Drago raises his hands in defense, Butts changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Butts trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Butts trying to control the position from guard on top but Drago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Drago working for a triangle but Butts defends it easily.
Butts is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Butts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Butts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Drago looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Butts trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Drago can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Butts controls the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Butts blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Butts gets the takedown into side control.

Butts is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Drago is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Butts trying to control the action but Drago is working from the bottom.
Butts sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Drago is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
An elbow from Butts crashes against the mat.
Butts creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Drago sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago is looking to regain half guard here but Butts keeps moving and retains side control.
Drago manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Butts wants to control but Drago is keeping busy.
Butts is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Butts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Drago.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drago is trying to control. Butts wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Butts wants to get back to full guard.
Butts has his hands clasped together around Drago's back. He's all about the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Butts darts in looking for a takedown but Drago gets double underhooks and turns Butts into the cage.
Drago seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Drago slaps away a takedown attempt from Butts, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Drago tries to counter with a takedown but Butts is quick to defend against it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Drago.
Drago throws a jab when Butts was well out of range.
Ivan Drago is winning the standup battle so far.
A combination from Drago does no damage.
Butts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Drago.
Butts uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Drago.
Butts changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A head kick misses from Drago.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Butts.
Drago throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A head kick misses from Drago.
Butts tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Butts takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Butts shoots in for a takedown but Drago shows good takedown defense.
Ivan Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Melvin Butts.
Drago looks to score with a jab to the body but Butts is just out of range.
A punch combination from Drago misses.
Butts with the counter takedown but Drago avoids it easily.
A head kick misses from Drago.
Drago misses with an attempted mid kick.
Butts changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago throws a shot from downtown. Butts moves away and avoids it.
Drago just misses with a punch to the body.
Butts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Butts goes for a double leg but Drago avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Drago continues to drive forward.
Drago tries to bum rush Butts with a series of wild strikes but Butts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Drago loads up on a big right hand but Butts slips the punch.
Butts tries for a takedown but Drago sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Drago misses with a low kick.
Butts is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Drago misses with a head kick.
Butts with the counter takedown but Drago avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Butts with a lazy takedown attempt
and Drago counters with a series of strikes. Butts will be more careful next time no doubt.
Drago throws a body punch but Butts moves out of range.
And Butts tries to counter it with a takedown but Drago pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Drago throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Drago looks to land a combination but Butts avoids it well.

Butts looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Drago!
Drago is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Butts decides to stand back up.
Melvin Butts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Butts fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Drago throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Butts checks a leg kick nicely.
Drago throws a head kick that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drago looks to land a body kick but Butts moved away.
Butts tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Butts throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Drago was covering up waiting for the punch and Butts finishes the takedown easily into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Drago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Drago, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27

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