PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leonid Rublev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Drago has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Leonid Rublev's chin.

Rublev
vs
Drago

225 cm
26
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

225 cm
23
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leonid Rublev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drago closes the distance and pushes Rublev back into the cage.
Rublev jumps guard but Drago stands there with Rublev around his waist. Rublev gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Drago jumps guard and drags Rublev to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rublev trying to control the position from guard on top but Drago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drago seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Drago working a defensive guard here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Rublev throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Rublev from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Leonid Rublev just wasn't active enough.
Rublev connects with a leg kick. Drago looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago clinches with his opponent.

Rublev jumps into guard, dragging Drago to the mat.

Rublev has his feet on Drago's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Drago fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drago misses with a takedown

and Rublev decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Drago's guard.
Rublev trying to control the position from guard on top but Drago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rublev engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Drago is adopting a defensive guard.
Drago is striking but Rublev is not phased and passes to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago is controlling Rublev's trapped leg to prevent Rublev from advancing to side control.
Drago blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rublev.
Rublev frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rublev looking to control but Drago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Drago throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Rublev tries to control but Drago wriggling away.
Drago's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Drago looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rublev looking to control but Drago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rublev controlling his opponent.
Rublev tries to control but Drago wriggling away.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Leonid Rublev just wasn't active enough.
Drago misses with a series of wild punches.

Rublev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Drago!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rublev controlling from the full mount.
Rublev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rublev content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonid Rublev dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Drago gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rublev landing with the ground and pound.
Rublev trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Drago is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Rublev decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Drago is breathing heavily.
Drago misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rublev.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rublev is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Drago's half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Drago can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rublev seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Drago is refusing to be controlled, as Rublev sits in half guard.
Drago punching from the bottom.
Drago taking some punishment here, with Rublev in his half guard.

Rublev decides to stand and escape the position.

Rublev scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rublev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drago keeps working.
Rublev works to advance to full mount. Drago defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Rublev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Drago has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Rublev's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rublev has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Rublev scores with punches to the body.
Rublev is riding his opponent, not letting Drago buck him off.
Rublev struggling to keep hold of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rublev just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Leonid Rublev wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rublev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonid Rublev dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Drago tries to sprawl but Rublev drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rublev is keen to just control but Drago is a slippery customer.
Rublev is really struggling to control Drago but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Drago wants to get back to full guard.
Rublev content to control rather than advance.
Rublev trying to control the action but Drago is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Leonid Rublev has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A combination from Rublev does no damage.
Drago has his takedown stuffed

and Rublev counters with a single leg into guard. Drago didn't expect that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rublev is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rublev slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rublev has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Rublev closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rublev passes to full mount!
Rublev content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago tries to reverse the position but Rublev maintains control.
Rublev looking to control and managing it successfully.

Rublev is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Drago can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Rublev looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rublev is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Drago can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rublev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rublev cracks Drago with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rublev wants to control the pace but Drago is squirming around nicely.
Rublev takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Rublev softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rublev is looking for the choke from the back position but Drago is controlling his hands well.
What can Drago do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Drago tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rublev tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Drago wants to control but Rublev is having none of it.
Rublev looking to control but Drago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ivan Drago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leonid Rublev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rublev controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonid Rublev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rublev, 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:26
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonid Rublev!