PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Clinton Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jomas Staale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Drake
vs
Staale

173 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Clinton Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jomas Staale!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Daniel Blasius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Staale with a poor takedown

and Drake counters with a nice double leg into side control. Staale won't be happy with that.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Staale is trying to improve his position.

Drake has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Staale misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Drake.
Staale gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Drake counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Drake pulls Staale into guard.
Drake pulls Staale in close to prevent any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake keeping full guard, as Staale tries to pass.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Staale from controlling successfully.
Staale might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Drake haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jomas Staale.
Staale tries for a takedown but Drake circles away easily

and Drake counters by clinching up.
Clinton Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jomas Staale.

Drake decides to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staale works over Drake with some ground and pound from guard.

Drake working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Staale doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Staale manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Drake has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Staale looking to pass the guard.
Staale trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
Staale tries to free his leg and advance position but Drake is retaining full guard.

Staale avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staale wants to pass the guard but Drake is keeping the position.
Drake knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Staale on the ground.
Staale wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.

Staale avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Drake is looking for a triangle but Staale pushes his legs off easily.
Staale wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staale lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Drake has his hands on Staale's head, controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake keeping full guard, as Staale tries to pass.
Staale trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
Staale wants to stand but Drake is controlling his posture from full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake managing to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clinton Drake dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Staale shoots in for a takedown but Drake shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Staale gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Drake counters by clinching up.
Staale is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Drake is defending well.
Clinton Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jomas Staale.

Drake jumps guard.

Drake is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Staale is aware though and is defending well.
Staale trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
Staale 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake looking for a guillotine here but Staale defends easily.
Staale trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.
Staale won't allow Drake to sweep him here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jomas Staale wasn't active enough on the ground.
Staale misses with a takedown

and Drake counters with a nice double leg into side control. Staale won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drake has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Staale has his takedown stuffed

and Drake moves into the clinch.
Staale wants to take the fight to the mat but Drake manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Drake's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staale closes the distance looking to clinch

and Drake counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Staale tries to kick Drake off but Drake keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Staale has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Drake is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake controlling the action here.
Drake blocks the strikes from Staale.
Staale wants to sweep but Drake has passed to side control!
Staale struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staale is trying to get back to half guard.
Staale trying to control but Drake flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Clinton Drake overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drake keeps control of the position as Staale tries to break free.
Drake controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake controlling well, preventing Staale from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clinton Drake dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A slow jab from Staale misses its intended target.
Jomas Staale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Staale throws a jab but it's blocked by Drake.
Drake circles away from the clinch attempt

and Drake counters by moving into the clinch.

Drake pulls guard successfully.
Drake is adopting a defensive guard.
Staale stopping the sweep attempt from Drake.
Staale trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staale preventing the sweep.
Drake has a closed guard, preventing Staale from standing up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Staale's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Staale preventing the sweep.
Drake pulls Staale in close to prevent any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A punch combination from Staale misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staale tries for a takedown but Drake circles away easily

and Drake counters by moving into the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Staale is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Drake jumps guard.

Drake is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Staale with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Staale wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.
Staale scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drake working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Staale doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Staale manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Staale has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Drake is proving hard to escape from.
Staale is fighting to break Drake's control of his arms but Drake is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Staale trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drake seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staale with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Staale wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Staale fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Drake avoids it really well and circles away.
Staale throws a head kick but Drake moves out of range.
Staale has his takedown stuffed

and Drake counters by clinching up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Clinton Drake.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Drake, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clinton Drake!