PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daffy Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Candle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Drake
vs
Candle

180 cm
24
180 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

178 cm
20
197 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Daffy Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Candle!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Nard Betker and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

It looks like Mark Candle has been cut.
Drake is looking to slow Candle down with leg kicks.

Drake gets the takedown into side control.
Candle wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Drake looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Candle wants to get back to his feet.

Drake decides to stand up, so the ref orders Candle to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Drake tries to bum rush Candle with a series of wild strikes but Candle uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake tries for a takedown but Candle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Drake throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Drake jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Drake throws a head kick that Candle semi-blocks.
Drake dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Candle. That did some damage!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Drake, as that shot connected.
Drake tried to score with a low kick but Candle checks it.
Drake misses with a right hand

and Candle counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Candle.
Candle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Candle preventing the sweep.
Candle tries to free his leg and advance position but Drake is retaining full guard.
Candle is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mark Candle.
Candle slips a jab and a cross from Drake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candle has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Drake.
Nice shot lands for Drake.
Drake misses with a looping left.
Drake's jab looks to have found its range, popping Candle under the eye.
Drake looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Candle is fending him off so far but Drake persists. Nope, Candle circles away and we're back to standing.
Drake takes a swing at Candle's ribcage but misses.
Drake wants to clinch.
Drake tries to clinch but Candle moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Candle defending well as Drake loads up on a big left hand.
Candle blocks a low kick nicely.
Drake dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Candle. That did some damage!
Drake tries to clinch but Candle is having none of it.
Candle moves out of range of the strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Candle manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Drake tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daffy Drake dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Candle's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Drake wants to clinch
and Candle counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Candle's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Drake connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Candle scrambles back to his feet.
Drake shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Candle decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Drake's guard.
Candle looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Candle avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candle advances to half guard.
Candle trying to control the pace.
Drake is trying to control but can't.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Drake is looking to get back to full guard here but Candle has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Candle passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Drake!
Candle takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candle sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Drake slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Drake wants to get back to full guard but Candle has passed into side control.
Candle tries to move into full mount but can't pass Drake's legs.
Drake is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Candle tries to move to mount but Drake blocks the move with his legs.
Drake is looking for a sweep.
Drake is being controlled here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drake is trying to control Candle's posture but Candle avoids it.
Drake is trying to escape the position but Candle is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Candle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Candle's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Drake shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Drake scores with a jab. Candle acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Drake is looking to clinch.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Candle paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Daffy Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Drake looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Drake tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drake wants to clinch up but Candle keeps it at a distance.
Horrible takedown by Drake or perhaps it was just good defense by Candle which made him look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Drake misses its intended target.
Drake throws a head kick that misses.
Drake misses with a head kick.
Candle takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Some bone on bone action there as Candle checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Daffy Drake is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Drake fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Candle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Drake connects with a leg kick. Candle looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake doesn't manage to clinch there - Candle circles away.
Drake lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Candle circles away quickly and effectively.
Drake thuds his shin into the meat of Candle's side.
Drake swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Drake looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Drake throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Drake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Candle moves away from the strike by Drake.
A head kick from Drake lands but Candle takes it in his stride.
Daffy Drake is winning the standup battle so far.
Drake wants to clinch.
Some bone on bone action there as Candle checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Drake, right into the meat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Candle.
The crowd cheers as Drake lands an impressive looking overhand right. Candle doesn't seem phased though.
Drake swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Drake tries to clinch up but Candle circles away and keeps his distance.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Candle paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Candle swats him away and circles back towards the center.
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!
Drake lands with a kick to the temple. Candle shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drake throws out a loose jab but Candle uses good head movement to avoid it.
Drake throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daffy Drake showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Drake has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daffy Drake!
A very excited looking Daffy Drake made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.