PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sven Hammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Drago
vs
Hammer

210 cm
22
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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, Ivan Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sven Hammer!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hammer closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hammer wants to control but Drago is keeping him busy.
Drago being controlled for a moment.
Drago avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hammer.
Drago gets back to half guard.
Hammer is looking to take a break and control but Drago is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hammer should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Drago moves into full guard.
Hammer connects with a couple of short punches.
Drago is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hammer looking to pass the guard.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Hammer from controlling successfully.
Hammer postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Drago working a defensive guard here.
Hammer trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Drago fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hammer looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sven Hammer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hammer drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hammer looks gassed!

Drago working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hammer doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hammer manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hammer scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drago works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Drago wants to get back to his feet but Hammer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hammer is stalling in the full guard.
Drago is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hammer missing with punches from the bottom.
Drago wants to take a breather but Hammer is having none of it.
Hammer tries to get to full guard but Drago has control of the leg.
Drago seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hammer does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Drago will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hammer slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hammer is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drago stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Drago gets a clinch.
Hammer lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hammer stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Hammer wants to stall.
Drago wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hammer has him pressed against the ropes.
Drago tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Drago blocking some punches.
Drago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hammer blocks it with crossed arms.
Drago gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Hammer has eaten all the pies!

Hammer lands a takedown into guard.
Drago wants to get back to his feet but Hammer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hammer is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hammer with a nice head shot there.
Hammer with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Drago's head.
Hammer postures up in Drago's guard and throws a big left but Drago blocks it.
Hammer trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.
Hammer missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hammer showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hammer slips nicely into half guard.
Hammer is tying to control. Drago wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hammer drops an elbow to the side of Drago's head.
Hammer missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hammer wants to control but Drago is keeping him busy.
Hammer prevents Drago from improving his position.
Hammer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drago keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sven Hammer dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hammer gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hammer lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Hammer lands with a short shot to the head.
with the fighters clinched against the ropes, Hammer creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Drago closes the distance and clinches up with Hammer, looking for a takedown. Drago pushes Hammer against the ropes but Hammer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ivan Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hammer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Hammer drives through and clinches with Drago against the ropes.

Hammer works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Drago throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hammer passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hammer lands some shots froms side control.
Hammer lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Hammer trying to control the position but Drago is working away.
Hammer lands an elbow.
Drago takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hammer is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer wants to control but Drago is keeping him busy.
Hammer cracks Drago with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Drago is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hammer off and has taken his back!
Hammer just looking to survive in the bad position.
Drago trying to control momentarily.
Hammer manages to reverse the position and now he's in Drago's guard. Nice work there by Hammer.
Sven Hammer has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hammer avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hammer trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hammer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Drago throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Drago is trying to control the position but Hammer postures up.
Hammer postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Drago is trying to keep Hammer in close.
Drago trying to strike off his back.
Drago is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hammer with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Hammer from controlling successfully.

Drago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammer pushes down on Drago's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hammer stalling away here and it's allowed Drago to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Hammer is looking to work some ground and pound but Drago has wrist control.
Hammer is looking to advance position but Drago has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Drago punishing his opponent with strikes.
Hammer is looking to improve his position but Drago isn't that keen on the idea.
Drago avoids the attempt from Hammer to control.
Hammer chipping away with body shots but they're not going to hurt Drago.
Hammer really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hammer is trying desperately to improve position.
Drago trying to control but Hammer is having none of it.
Hammer wants to control but Drago is having none of it.
Hammer reaches up to try and control the position but Drago seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Hammer rolls and tries to escape and now Drago has his back!
Drago softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Hammer wants to control his opponent's hands but Drago gets his hands free.

Drago looking to break Hammer's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Hammer remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Drago will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drago keeps control of the position as Hammer tries to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ivan Drago will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Drago misses with a takedown attempt - Hammer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Drago drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Drago looks up at the clock and then as Hammer takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Drago smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Hammer tries to buck Drago off but Drago is having none of it.
Drago working the ground and pound from side control.
Hammer is looking to regain half guard here but Drago keeps moving and retains side control.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Drago in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Hammer tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hammer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hammer tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Hammer throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Drago stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hammer throws a lazy right hand but Drago sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Hammer drives through and clinches with Drago against the ropes.

Hammer lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hammer working over Drago with some ground and pound. Drago looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hammer is keen to just control but Drago is a slippery customer.
Hammer drops an elbow to the side of Drago's head.
Hammer trying to mount his opponent but Drago defends it.
Hammer thows a huge punch but Drago dodges it nicely.
Hammer missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Drago moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hammer advances to half guard.
Hammer controlling the pace.
Drago is trying to stand up here but Hammer is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago trying to hold on to Hammer's head to control him but Hammer postures up.
Drago is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hammer looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Drago moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hammer slips nicely into half guard.
Hammer looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Drago is looking for a sweep. Hammer is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Drago is trying to stand.
Hammer seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Drago does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hammer 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.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hammer is taking a breather. Drago says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Hammer has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Hammer landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Drago is defending against the submission attempts here by Hammer.
Drago trying to control but Hammer postures up.
Drago is looking for a sweep. Hammer is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hammer throwing shots but Drago is blocking nicely.
Drago wants to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hammer is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Hammer pushes Drago back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Drago is trying to break the clinch but Hammer has him pressed against the ropes.
Drago wants to stall.

Hammer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hammer scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Hammer avoids the body shot from Drago.
Drago does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Drago instigates a clinch.
Drago tries to land knees in the clinch but Hammer avoids the damage to the body.
Drago has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hammer avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hammer can't get the takedown.

Drago wants the takedown. Hammer is fighting it off but Drago persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hammer's guard against the ropes.
Hammer punching from the bottom - just letting Drago know he's still in a fight.
Drago trying to control but Hammer is working from the bottom.
Hammer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hammer trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Hammer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sven Hammer.
Well Hammer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Sven Hammer!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Sven Hammer!
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight for Sven Hammer!

Sven Hammer wins by unanimous decision!