PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Danny Rand (ranked 3218 p4p, 24018 weight class) and Sterling Draper (ranked 308 p4p, 491 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rand might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Wu Tang-Protect Ya Neck. The crowd seem to be enjoying Draper's choice of entrance music: Asshole. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rand
vs
Draper

176 cm
31
144
8 - 6 - 1

180 cm
20
158
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Danny Rand!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sterling Draper!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Draper closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rand did well to prevent Draper getting side control.

Rand manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Draper keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Draper has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rand after a bit of a struggle.
Rand scores with a hook to the body.
Draper is trying to drag Rand to the mat but Rand just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Draper tries for a takedown but Rand manages to get underhooks.
Danny Rand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sterling Draper.

Draper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rand fails with an attempt to clinch.
Draper throws a body shot but no joy.
Draper pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Draper changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rand looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Draper thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Draper tries for a kimura but Rand is defending well.
Rand tries to escape but Draper is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand struggling a bit here.
Rand is trying to improve his position.

Rand throws Draper to one side and escapes!
Draper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Draper throws a jab but it's blocked by Rand.
Draper connects with a crisp jab.
Draper looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Draper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rand looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Draper goes for a double leg but Rand avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rand continues to drive forward.
The fight stays on the outside here - Draper looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rand appears to be looking for a big counter.
Draper misses with a looping left.
It looked like Rand wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A big right from Rand misses.
Draper tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rand defends well and Draper ends up having to push Rand into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rand is looking to counter punch.

Draper rushes Rand and presses him up against the cage.
Rand is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Draper pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draper wants a takedown but no success here.
Rand lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rand is trying to maintain a safe position but Draper gets an underhook and turns Rand into the cage.

Draper is trying to trip Rand. He has hold of a leg but Rand is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Draper persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Draper stops Rand from standing up.
Draper advances to half guard.
Draper trying to pass the guard but Rand defending well.
Rand is looking for a sweep. Draper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Draper is working for a kimura here but Rand manages to reverse the position and he's now in Draper's guard.

Rand got a little sloppy there for a moment and Draper has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rand has managed to get both his arms back between Draper's legs - danger averted.

Rand drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rand jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Draper seems keen to control Rand's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Draper looking for a guillotine here but Rand defends easily.
Draper wants to sweep here but Rand controlling him for the moment.
Draper managing to control the position.

Draper is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rand is aware though and is defending well.
Rand slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand is looking to take a break and control but Draper is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rand decides to stand back up. Rand steps back and let's Draper get back to his feet.
Draper misses with a hook.
Rand connects with an inside leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Rand darts in and clinches Draper up against the cage.
Draper is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rand gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Draper wants a takedown.
The referee is keeping an eye on Draper - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Rand turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Rand tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rand has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rand thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Danny Rand will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Draper avoids the head kick by Rand.
And Draper tries to counter it with a takedown but Rand pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Draper is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rand keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rand shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Draper but Draper pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Draper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rand swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rand tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Draper paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Draper takes the fight into the clinch.

Draper works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Draper advances to half guard.
Rand wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rand looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Draper is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rand defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Draper seems to be working for a kimura but Rand defends the submission attempt.

Draper is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rand is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rand regains full guard. Nicely done.
Draper tries to free his leg and advance position but Rand is retaining full guard.

Draper drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rand looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rand looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rand!

Draper manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rand stops Draper from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draper is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rand's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rand's back!
Well, with Draper on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Rand is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Draper doesn't have the hooks in and Rand manages to turn into his guard.
Rand has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Draper keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.
Draper is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rand is controlling him.
Rand trying to control the position from guard on top but Draper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Draper is looking to stand up but Rand isn't so interested in that idea.
Draper is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Draper is working for a kimura but Rand is defending it quite comfortably.

Rand looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draper prevents Rand from standing back up.

Rand looking for submissions off his back.

Draper is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Draper is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Rand still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Rand has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Draper sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Draper has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rand is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draper is trying to stand back up but Rand is controlling him
Draper tries to get to full guard but Rand has control of the leg.
It looks like Rand is going to stand back up.
Rand working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Draper holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Rand seems to be looking for submissions.
Draper works his way to full guard. Good work.
Draper is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sterling Draper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rand.

Draper closes the distance and clinches.

Draper gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rand regains guard.

Rand taking a break here but Draper is having none of it and regains half guard.
Rand tries to pass the half guard into mount. Draper knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draper is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rand's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rand's back!
Rand turns into Draper and is now in his guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Draper is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Rand rolls with it to try and escape but Draper cranks on the arm and Rand is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sterling Draper!
Sterling Draper is the new featherweight champion!
A very excited looking Sterling Draper made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
The defeated Danny Rand had this to say: 'It is what it is, ill be back. '.