PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zoey Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malone comes to the cage accompanied by Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash. The key to victory for Zoey Malone has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Malone
vs
Drake

189 cm
32
218 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

182 cm
27
220 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry
Meet the Future

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 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zoey Malone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nathan Drake!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Malone instigates a clinch.
Drake wants to get back to striking at distance but Malone won't allow it.
Malone lands an uppercut.
Drake leaning against his opponent.
Malone looking to slow down the pace here.
Drake tries to break the clinch but Malone is controlling the position.
Malone is looking to control Drake's arms but Drake gets an underhook and turns him. Now Malone has his back to the cage.
Malone lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Malone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Drake just stands there and leans against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A hook to the body from Malone.

Drake's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Malone, right into the meat.
Malone scores with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Drake fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zoey Malone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malone tries to close the distance and clinch but Drake swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drake takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake moves out of range of the strikes.
Malone scores with a crisp jab that stopped Drake in his tracks.
Malone misses with a leg kick

and Drake counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Drake.

Malone is looking for a triangle but Drake pushes his legs off easily.

Malone working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Drake doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Drake manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Malone working a defensive guard but Drake manages to pass into side control anyway.
Drake working away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Drake postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malone wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Malone has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Malone tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Malone's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Drake landing a few strikes.

Drake tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Drake has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Drake lands a nice forearm strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone is looking to reverse the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Drake cracks Malone with a big elbow.
Malone tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Drake cracks Malone with a big elbow.
Drake working the head with strikes.
Malone tries to improve position but can't.
Malone wants to control but Drake postures up.
Drake has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Malone tries to buck Drake off but Drake is having none of it.
Malone gets back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Malone wants to get back to full guard.
Malone trying to control here.
Drake is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malone is pressing down on Drake's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Malone escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Drake gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Drake trying to control the position from guard on top but Malone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Malone trying to keep a closed guard but Drake is proving a slippery customer.
Drake stopping the sweep attempt from Malone.
Malone trying to control the position here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Malone trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoey Malone dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Drake throws a hook but Malone avoids it easily.
Drake keeps the fight on the outside.
Drake keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Malone.
Drake on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Malone tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Drake manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Drake uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Malone.
Malone throws a poor cross that misses

and Drake counters with a shoot takedown. Malone fights it but they end up in guard.

Malone is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Drake defends well.

Malone is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Drake lands a couple of elbows.

Malone looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Drake has picked Malone up and slammed him! Malone can't keep hold of the triangle and Drake manages to pass to side control!
Malone is looking for a sweep.
Drake lands a decent elbow from side control.
Malone is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Drake lands a decent elbow from side control.
Drake landing a few strikes.
Drake has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Grappling Pro Helsinki (14 coaches/25 fighters cap. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Malone sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Malone on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Drake wants to control but Malone is keeping him busy.
Drake has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Malone wants to control but Drake is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malone really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake landing strikes from the mount.
Malone keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Malone is trying desperately to improve position.
Malone is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone tries to lock up and control but Drake gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Drake breaks from Malone's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Malone tries to reverse the position but Drake maintains control.
Drake trying to control but Malone is having none of it.
Malone is looking to improve his position but Drake isn't that keen on the idea.
Drake with a couple of short strikes.
Malone can't escape the position.
Drake lands a big shot there that rocks Malone but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Malone wants to control but Drake is having none of it.
Malone takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Drake prevents Malone from getting the reversal.
Malone tries to lock up and control but Drake gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Drake looking to control but Malone is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Malone is looking to improve his position but Drake isn't that keen on the idea.
Drake cracks Malone with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Malone is bucking up trying to escape but Drake cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Malone wants to hold on but Drake pushes him away.
Malone really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Drake fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Drake with shots to the head and body - Malone looks very uncomfortable down there.
Drake putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Drake showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Malone misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Drake.
Malone lands a jab to the nose.
Malone fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Drake has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Drake thows a left - swing and a miss!
Malone shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Malone takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Malone goes for a double leg but Drake avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Drake continues to drive forward.
Malone is pressed up against the cage. Drake has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Malone down to the mat. Malone avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Drake avoids the head kick by Malone.
Drake cracks Malone with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Malone tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Drake was well out of range. Poor timing from Malone.
Malone gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Malone takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone thows a body shot but no joy.
Drake works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Drake throws a body punch but Malone moves out of range.

Drake shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Malone manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Drake working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malone's head.
Malone keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Drake postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Drake content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Malone throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nathan Drake has got the better of the ground game so far.
Drake connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Drake looking to pass the guard.

Malone is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Malone preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Drake stands up over Malone, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Drake trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Malone working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Drake doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Drake manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Malone wants to get back to his feet but Drake is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Drake trying to control but Malone is working from the bottom.

Malone working for a triangle but Drake defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Drake with a nice head shot there.
Drake trying to control but Malone is working from the bottom.
Drake lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Drake lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Drake scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Malone keeping full guard, as Drake tries to pass.
Drake stands up over Malone, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake chips away with some ground and pound.
Drake trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Drake throwing strikes from guard but Malone blocks nicely.
Drake keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Malone's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Drake is working Malone over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Drake trying to control the position from guard on top but Malone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drake working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malone's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Malone keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.

Malone is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Drake is aware though and is defending well.
Malone controls Drake momentarily but Drake frees himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nathan Drake comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Drake 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nathan Drake!
The defeated Zoey Malone had this to say: 'Damn! That sucked!'.