PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Love Aikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Aikawa
vs
Drake

189 cm
24
202 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

198 cm
26
270 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Granite chin

Bellum Dominum

Reaper Combatwear
Meet the Future

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Love Aikawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, David Drake!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake throws a hook but Aikawa blocks it.
Aikawa avoids the head kick by Drake.
A lazy left from Drake finds it's target.
Drake moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Drake tries to clinch there but Aikawa circles away.
Drake misses with a jab, cross combination.
Aikawa avoids the body shot from Drake.
Drake throws a left and a right that both miss

and Aikawa counters by moving into the clinch.
Aikawa takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Love Aikawa has been cut.
Still in the clinch, Aikawa scores with a nice short uppercut.
Drake told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Drake misses with a hook from the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Aikawa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Drake misses with an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake tries to work over Aikawa's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Aikawa tries to throw a body punch but Drake avoids it by throwing Aikawa back against the ropes.
Aikawa goes for a takedown attempt but Drake pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Aikawa moves out of range of the strikes.
We've been told by Aikawa's head coaches at Academy of Combat that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Drake fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Drake lands a nice shot that snaps Aikawa's head back.
Aikawa dodges the punch combination from Drake.
Drake throws a shot from downtown. Aikawa moves away and avoids it.

Aikawa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Aikawa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aikawa postures up.
Drake has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Drake keeping full guard, as Aikawa tries to pass.

Aikawa is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Drake is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Drake has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aikawa looking for subs off his back but Drake has passed one foot through into half guard.
Aikawa makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Aikawa.
Drake must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Aikawa had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Drake defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aikawa looking for a guillotine here but Drake defends easily.
Aikawa has a closed guard, preventing Drake from standing up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Aikawa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Drake can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but David Drake will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Love Aikawa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Aikawa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Drake.
Drake throws a jab but it's blocked by Aikawa.
Drake tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Aikawa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Aikawa.
Aikawa slips a straight right by Drake.
Drake connects with a body shot.
Drake scores with a crisp jab that stopped Aikawa in his tracks.
Drake tries to clinch

and Aikawa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Drake's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Aikawa drops back, looking for a kneebar! Drake looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Drake looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Drake!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aikawa is looking to regain half guard here but Drake keeps moving and retains side control.
Aikawa manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Aikawa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Aikawa looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aikawa is looking to improve his position.

Aikawa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Aikawa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Drake pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aikawa looking for subs from the bottom but Drake mounts him!
Aikawa is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Drake is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Drake scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Drake misses with a double jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drake tests Aikawa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Aikawa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Drake is fending him off so far but Aikawa persists. Nope, Drake circles away and we're back to standing.
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 Love Aikawa will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Love Aikawa's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Drake looks to land a left hand but Aikawa moved out of range nicely.
Aikawa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.
Aikawa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.
David Drake seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Drake leaves Aikawa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Love Aikawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aikawa dives in and grabs Drake's left leg, looking for a takedown. Drake pushes down on Aikawa's head and hops out.
Drake lands a jab to the nose.

Drake rushes Aikawa and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Drake lands a right hand.
Drake is looking to control Aikawa's arms but Aikawa gets an underhook and turns him. Now Drake has his back to the ropes.
A short right from Drake.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice left hand lands by Drake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aikawa managing to block the knees to the body from Drake.
Drake is pressed up against the ropes. Aikawa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Drake down to the mat. Drake avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
David Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Aikawa is rocked!

Drake takes the fight into the clinch.
Oh Aikawa is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aikawa.
Aikawa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Drake lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Aikawa seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake scores with a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drake will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Aikawa up against the ropes.
Drake scores with a nice hook to the head.
David Drake seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Aikawa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Drake trying to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aikawa stalls.
Drake lands an elbow just above Aikawa 's eye.
Drake unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Aikawa! He's leaning against the ropes trying to keep his feet but Drake is unloading with more strikes now! Aikawa drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). David Drake!
A relieved looking David Drake thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.