PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ignacio Pickett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thrall Drom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pickett
vs
Drom

210 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ignacio Pickett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thrall Drom!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drom tries to sprawl but Pickett drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Pickett wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Drom uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

Drom is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pickett wants to stand but Drom has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Drom has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA Rio. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Drom is trying to control the position but Pickett postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickett passes Drom's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Pickett seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Pickett is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Drom reverses the position - he's now on top in Pickett's guard.
Drom stands up out of Pickett's guard for a moment - Pickett manages to land a nice upkick.
Pickett not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pickett throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett keeping moving, preventing Drom from controlling successfully.
Pickett has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Drom thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pickett knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Drom on the ground.

Pickett throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drom looking to sit in guard and control but Pickett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Pickett working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drom keeping full guard, as Pickett tries to pass.
Drom keeping moving, preventing Pickett from controlling successfully.
Pickett wants to stand but Drom has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pickett wants to pass the guard but Drom is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pickett missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ignacio Pickett wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Drom has his takedown stuffed

and Pickett counters with a takedown into side control.
Pickett tries to stand but Drom is controlling his head.
You can see the frustration on Drom's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ignacio Pickett dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pickett instigates a clinch.

Pickett jumps guard and drags Drom to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Pickett holds on and takes a little breather.
Pickett 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.
Pickett is adopting a defensive guard.
Pickett keeping moving, preventing Drom from controlling successfully.
Pickett will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Drom stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pickett swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drom being controlled here momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ignacio Pickett just wasn't active enough.

Pickett fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Drom to the ground. Pickett is now in Drom's guard.
Drom wants to sweep but no luck.
Pickett slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Pickett really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pickett wants to stand but Drom has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett slips nicely into half guard.
Drom is looking to improve his position.
Drom wants to control but Pickett passes into side.
Pickett tries to stand but Drom is controlling his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pickett trying to control the position but Drom is working away.
Pickett tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Pickett goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Drom has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Pickett but great work by Drom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pickett is trying to control Drom's posture but Drom avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Drom goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Pickett has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Drom but great work by Pickett.
Pickett tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Drom is trying to get back to half guard.

Pickett is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Drom has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ignacio Pickett dominated that second round.
That's time! Pickett's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pickett slaps away a takedown attempt from Drom, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Pickett drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pickett looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Pickett is looking to stand up but Drom won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickett controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Ignacio Pickett has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Pickett fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Drom sprawls well initially but Pickett persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pickett controlling the action here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pickett has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Ignacio Pickett overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drom trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett wants to pass the guard but Drom is defending well.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ignacio Pickett wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Drom fails with a takedown attempt.

Pickett decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Drom won't allow Pickett to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pickett is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Drom is staying active underneath Pickett, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pickett 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.
Pickett content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ignacio Pickett wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Drom shoots in for a takedown but Pickett shows good takedown defense.
Ignacio Pickett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thrall Drom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pickett throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Drom tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Pickett is in Drom's guard.
Pickett would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Pickett has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pickett looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ignacio Pickett showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pickett has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ignacio Pickett!