PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Areski Chayem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Chayem
vs
Drake

180 cm
22
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Areski Chayem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Drake!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake avoids a punch combination nicely.
Drake is looking to clinch but Chayem is avoiding it.
Chayem avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Chayem shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.
Drake slaps away a takedown attempt from Chayem, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Chayem fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Drake avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Areski Chayem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chayem shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drake pinned against the cage. Drake gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Drake fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drake throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chayem drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Chayem controlling the position from side mount.
Drake is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Chayem is controlling him well.
Chayem misses with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake struggling a bit here.
Chayem wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drake keeps working.
Drake really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chayem. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Drake defending against the ground and pound.
Drake tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Chayem wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Chayem is looking to take a break and control but Drake is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Drake throws a quick inside leg kick.
Drake looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Chayem shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Drake as he jumps to the side.
Chayem fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Chayem fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Chayem rushes Drake and presses him up against the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Drake. Chayem does a little dance to reset his feet.
Chayem shoots for a double leg takedown but Drake sprawls well. He's pushed Chayem's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Chayem counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Chayem on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Chayem avoiding damage as Drake throws knees to the body.
Drake can't find room to land a body shot as Chayem controls the action.
Drake wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chayem has him pressed against the cage.
Drake looks gassed!
Drake misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Chayem.
Chayem is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Drake gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Chayem gets control of Drake's arms and successfully pulls guard. Chayem will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Chayem throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Chayem pushes Drake off and gets back to his feet.
Chayem circles away from the clinch attempt

and Chayem counters with a shoot takedown. Drake fights it but they end up in guard.
Chayem controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Drake is looking to stand up but Chayem isn't so interested in that idea.
Chayem has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Drake avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake wants to stand and escape but Chayem is having none of it.
Chayem is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Drake wants to sweep here but Chayem controlling him for the moment.
Chayem scoring with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chayem scoring with some ground and pound.
Chayem sitting in guard here, content to control.
Chayem content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Chayem with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Chayem with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Chayem connects with a couple of short punches.
Chayem is stalling in the full guard.
Chayem lands a couple of digs.
Drake is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chayem is working Drake over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Chayem drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Chayem jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Chayem wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Chayem accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Chayem lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Chayem missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Chayem not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Drake is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Chayem trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Chayem looks to throw a body kick
and Drake counters with a nice body kick.
Chayem fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Areski Chayem 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.

Chayem shoots for a double leg takedown but Drake sprawls well. He's pushed Chayem's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Drake gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Chayem scoring with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chayem cracks Drake with a solid left hand.
Chayem preventing the sweep.
Chayem lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Chayem throwing strikes from guard but Drake blocks nicely.
Drake is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Chayem with a nice head shot there.
Chayem lands a couple of elbows.
Chayem in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Drake is breathing heavily.
Drake wants to sweep here but Chayem controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Chayem scores a takedown into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chayem has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drake's face.
Chayem looking to control and managing it successfully.
Chayem breaks from Drake's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Chayem connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Chayem lands a big elbow.
Chayem dominating with strikes here.
Chayem working the ground and pound effectively.
A nice elbow there by Chayem.
Chayem with shots to the head and body - Drake looks very uncomfortable down there.
Chayem with good strikes from the mount here!
Chayem trying to control but Drake is having none of it.
Chayem lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chayem putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Chayem connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Chayem lands with some strikes.
Chayem looking to control and managing it successfully.
Chayem lands a big shot there that rocks Drake but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Chayem landing strikes, looking to finish!
Chayem landing shots from mount.
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!
Chayem postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Drake looks a forlorn figure.
Chayem has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drake's face.
The referee warns Drake that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Chayem looking to control and managing it successfully.
Chayem has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drake's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chayem lands a big shot there that rocks Drake but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Areski Chayem overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Chayem landing punches.
Chayem is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Drake can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Chayem fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Chayem raining down shots from the mount!
Chayem breaks from Drake's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Drake is rocked!
Drake is in a horrible position here. Chayem smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Chayem dominating with strikes here.
Chayem lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Chayem landing strikes, looking to finish!

Chayem with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Chayem trying to control but Drake is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chayem breaks from Drake's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Drake is trying to stand up.
Chayem scoring with strikes but Drake is staying in there.
Chayem controlling his opponent.
Chayem cracks Drake with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Chayem is in the full mount, landing strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Chayem is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Drake can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Chayem in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Drake is trying to escape the mount.
Drake is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Areski Chayem dominated that second round.
That's time! Chayem's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Chayem moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Drake looks to land a body kick but Chayem moved away.
Chayem shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Drake as he jumps to the side.
Chayem tries for a takedown but Drake sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Chayem looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Chayem landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Chayem is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Drake can do to turn this around?
Chayem looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Drake with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Chayem is nestled in close to Drake, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ground and pound from Chayem.

Chayem is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Drake has managed to free his arm - good work.
Drake avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Chayem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chayem thows a huge punch but Drake dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chayem is trying to control the action in half guard but Drake is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Chayem missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Drake is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Drake defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Chayem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Areski Chayem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chayem lands with a nice combination. Drake backs away looking to recover.
A head kick by Drake misses
and Chayem counters with a three punch combo that has Drake backing up. Drake nods at Chayem to acknowledge the strikes.
Chayem lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Drake circles away quickly and effectively.
Nice body kick there by Drake.

Chayem is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Drake's half guard.

Chayem is trying for a kimura here. Drake looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Chayem wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Areski Chayem!