PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Lopes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Drysdale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopes comes to the cage accompanied by Pride Theme. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lopes
vs
Drysdale

188 cm
25
227 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
256 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gabriel Lopes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Adam Drysdale!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drysdale shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lopes napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lopes struggling a bit here.
Lopes seems a little lost for a moment, as Drysdale dominates the positioning.
Lopes sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Lopes wants to improve his position but Drysdale is controlling well.
Drysdale not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Drysdale throwing shots but Lopes is blocking nicely.
Drysdale is looking to advance position but Lopes won't allow it.
Drysdale missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Drysdale stops Lopes from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drysdale not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drysdale not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Drysdale performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lopes is trying to stand back up but Drysdale is controlling him
Drysdale wants to take a breather but Lopes is having none of it.
Drysdale thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lopes's head.
Drysdale is keen to just control but Lopes is a slippery customer.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Drysdale sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lopes defending well though.
Well, if Drysdale is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lopes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Drysdale postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Drysdale wants to control from the top but Lopes keeps moving.
Drysdale is working Lopes over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Drysdale trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Drysdale.
Drysdale postures up in Lopes's guard and throws a big left but Lopes blocks it.
Drysdale must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Drysdale trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Drysdale!
Lopes is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drysdale is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Lopes landing shots from mount.
Drysdale wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Drysdale is looking to escape.

Lopes is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Drysdale is surviving well by controlling Lopes's body position as best he can.
Drysdale trying desperately to get to his feet.
Lopes dominating with strikes here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Drysdale can do anything to dispel that myth.

Lopes stands up from mount. Strange move.
Drysdale changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lopes tries to avoid it but Drysdale manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lopes to the ground. Lopes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Lopes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Drysdale did well to prevent Lopes getting side control.
Drysdale wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Lopes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lopes comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Drysdale keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Drysdale is looking to clinch.
Lopes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Drysdale counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lopes won't be happy with that.
Lopes is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Drysdale asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Lopes struggling a bit here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drysdale throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drysdale stands up and beckons Lopes to his feet.

Drysdale decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Drysdale lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Lopes wants to get back to his feet.
Well, if Drysdale is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Lopes is in trouble now - Drysdale has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drysdale connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Drysdale is landing with some decent strikes but Lopes is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Drysdale controlling the pace for now.
Adam Drysdale has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopes is trying to stand up.
Drysdale lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Drysdale scoring with strikes but Lopes is staying in there.
Drysdale lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Drysdale cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Drysdale with the ground and pound from mount.
Drysdale controlling from mount.
Drysdale lands a big shot there that rocks Lopes but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Drysdale punishing his opponent with strikes.
Drysdale has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lopes's face.
Drysdale in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopes takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Lopes is bucking up trying to escape but Drysdale cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drysdale landing strikes, looking to finish!
Drysdale breaks from Lopes's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Drysdale controlling from mount.
Drysdale cracks Lopes with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopes tries to lock up and control but Drysdale gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Drysdale looking to control but Lopes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Drysdale showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Drysdale shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lopes as he jumps to the side.
Drysdale takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Adam Drysdale has been cut.
Drysdale shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lopes as he jumps to the side.
Drysdale will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gabriel Lopes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Drysdale.
Drysdale tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lopes throws a head kick that half lands.
Lopes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Drysdale defends it nicely.

Lopes clinches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lopes has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Drysdale clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Drysdale is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drysdale is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
Lopes shoots in for a takedown but Drysdale shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Drysdale tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lopes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Drysdale moves out of range of the body kick from Lopes.
Lopes keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lopes fails with the takedown

and Drysdale counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lopes!
Drysdale looking to control but Lopes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Drysdale is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Lopes can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Drysdale breaks from Lopes's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Drysdale lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Lopes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drysdale sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lopes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Drysdale.
Lopes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drysdale lands with some strikes.
Drysdale raining down shots from the mount!
Lopes is working to get back to half guard.
Lopes tries to buck Drysdale off but he can't manage it.
Lopes taking shots to the head.
Drysdale postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lopes looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopes wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Lopes in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Drysdale lands a big elbow.
Lopes is working to get back to half guard.
Drysdale scoring with strikes but Lopes is staying in there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drysdale sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Drysdale postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lopes looks a forlorn figure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adam Drysdale comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Drysdale 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adam Drysdale!