PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyle Novacek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oleg Dragov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lyle Novacek has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Novacek
vs
Dragov

190 cm
22
217 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

186 cm
22
210 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Pegasus Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lyle Novacek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oleg Dragov!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Novacek ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Lyle Novacek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Novacek misses with a takedown
and Dragov counters with a nice uppercut.
Novacek shoots and misses
and Dragov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Novacek with a poor takedown
and Dragov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyle Novacek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dragov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dragov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dragov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Dragov enables Novacek to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Dragov manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Novacek throwing strikes from guard but Dragov blocks nicely.
Novacek scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Novacek throws a strike but Dragov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Dragov throws a strike but Novacek rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Novacek in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Novacek working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Novacek engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Dragov wriggles free and stands up.
Novacek throws a right hand that misses
and Dragov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Novacek throws a combination that misses
and Dragov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Novacek uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Dragov.
Novacek lands a jab-cross combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dragov. Novacek does a little dance to reset his feet.
Novacek has his takedown stuffed
and Dragov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Novacek misses with a left hand
and Dragov counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Novacek tries for a takedown but Dragov circles away easily
and Dragov counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Novacek throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Dragov to counter with a crisp jab.
Novacek fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Dragov misses with a right hand

and Novacek counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dragov!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dragov really wants to buck Novacek off and get back to his feet.
Novacek scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dragov?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyle Novacek dominated that round.
That's time! Novacek's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Novacek doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dragov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Novacek throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dragov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Novacek avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dragov misses with an uppercut. Novacek saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novacek falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dragov counters with a straight right hand.
Novacek dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Novacek with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dragov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Novacek thinking.

Novacek gets a takedown into half guard.
Novacek throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragov regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Novacek.
Novacek trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Novacek throws a strike but Dragov rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Novacek looking for a sweep. Not yet Novacek, not yet.
Dragov passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dragov in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragov throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Novacek struggling a bit here.
Dragov throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Dragov looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Novacek is avoiding damage well.

Dragov decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Dragov jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Novacek with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dragov counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyle Novacek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Novacek misses with a shot to the body
and Dragov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Novacek throws an off balance right hand
and Dragov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dragov connects with a nice looking jab.
Novacek gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Dragov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oleg Dragov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Novacek with a poor takedown
and Dragov cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Dragov scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Novacek misses with a body punch
letting Dragov counter with a right hand.
Dragov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Novacek is fending him off so far but Dragov persists. Nope, Novacek circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Novacek takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Novacek swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dragov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novacek doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dragov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Novacek defending well as Dragov loads up on a big left hand.
Lyle Novacek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Novacek doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dragov counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyle Novacek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dragov throws a body punch but Novacek moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Novacek throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Novacek shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Dragov counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Novacek misses with a hook
and Dragov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Novacek shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Novacek is looking to work some ground and pound but Dragov has wrist control.
Novacek distracts Dragov with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Novacek is looking to work some ground and pound but Dragov has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dragov manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Dragov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Dragov misses the body punch
and Novacek counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Novacek has his takedown stuffed
and Dragov counters with a stiff right hand.
Novacek has his takedown stuffed
and Novacek takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Novacek throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dragov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Novacek gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Dragov counters with a series of strikes. Novacek will be more careful next time no doubt.
Novacek tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dragov swivels and escapes.
Dragov swinging wildly here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oleg Dragov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dragov 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oleg Dragov!