PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dante Fuego (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dante Fuego has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Fuego
vs
Drago

185 cm
22
235 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

195 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dante Fuego!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drago misses with a head kick.
Drago misses with a head kick.
Drago throws a sloppy head kick and Fuego moves out of range easily.
Drago is looking to clinch but Fuego is avoiding it.
Drago shoots for a double leg takedown but Fuego sprawls well. He's pushed Drago's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Fuego.
No joy there for Drago, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fuego misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fuego slips a jab and a cross from Drago.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Fuego, as that shot connected.
Fuego thuds his right hand into Drago's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fuego scores with a one two! Drago had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Drago dodges the punch combination from Fuego.
Fuego bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Fuego dips to his left and cracks Drago with an uppercut!
Fuego swinging wilding here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fuego gets caught flat footed, as Drago shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Fuego is breathing heavily.
Drago stops Fuego from standing up.
Drago is pushing down on Fuego's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fuego is fighting to maintain full guard but Drago has managed to sneak the leg through.
Fuego is trying to stand.
Fuego tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Drago stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fuego tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Drago manages to move to mount!
Fuego is bucking up trying to escape but Drago cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago controlling from the full mount.
Fuego knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Drago on the ground.
Drago scoring with strikes but Fuego is staying in there.
Drago has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Drago controlling from mount.
Fuego is trying to escape the mount.
Drago controlling his opponent.

Drago is working for a guillotine from mount but Fuego frees his head quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago with the ground and pound from mount.
Drago lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Drago lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Drago tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Drago wants to control the pace but Fuego is squirming around nicely.
Fuego tries to buck Drago off but he can't manage it.
Drago controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Drago in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Drago controlling the position easily from mount.

Drago has hold of Fuego's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Fuego manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fuego is trying to stand up.
Drago controlling the position easily from mount.
Fuego wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Fuego throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Drago fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fuego stuffs the takedown attempt from Drago. Drago gets slowly back to his feet.
Drago tries to clinch there but Fuego circles away.
Dante Fuego is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Drago shoots in looking for a takedown. Fuego tries to sprawl out of it but Drago keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fuego manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Fuego scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fuego misses with a series of wild punches.
Drago throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Fuego's waist but Fuego gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Drago off to one side.
Dante Fuego has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Drago.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fuego tries to clinch but Drago moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuego fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Drago has his takedown stuffed
and Fuego counters with a two punch combo.
Drago shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fuego but Fuego pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fuego moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Drago shoots in for a takedown but Fuego shows good takedown defense.
Drago throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Fuego counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fuego looks to land a combination but Drago avoids it well.
Drago doesn't manage to clinch there - Fuego circles away.
Drago digs a good body shot into Fuego's ribs.
Ivan Drago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Fuego fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Drago sprawls well initially but Fuego persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Drago has one foot on Fuego's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fuego, pushing him back against the cage.
Fuego is trying to break the clinch but Drago has him pressed against the cage.
Fuego looking to stall.
Knees in the clinch landing for Drago.
Fuego is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Drago is keeping busy.
Fuego has had enough of the clinch but Drago keeps him there for the moment.
Drago comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Fuego wants to get back to striking at distance but Drago won't allow it.

Drago breaks the clinch.
Drago shoots for a takedown but Fuego saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Drago throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fuego is looking to clinch.
Drago shoots for a double leg takedown but Fuego sprawls well. He's pushed Drago's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fuego swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Drago fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago throws a sloppy body shot
and Fuego makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Drago shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fuego lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Drago shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fuego but Fuego pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Drago fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Drago looks for a takedown but Fuego sprawls well.
Drago misses with a combination
and Fuego counters with a three punch combo that has Drago backing up. Drago nods at Fuego to acknowledge the strikes.

Drago looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Fuego!
Fuego's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Drago controlling the position easily from mount.
Drago landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago with a couple of short strikes.
Fuego wants to try and get back to his feet.
Drago lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Drago looking to control but Fuego is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Drago landing punches.
Drago controlling from mount.
Drago raining down shots from the mount!

Drago goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Fuego is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Fuego 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!

Drago walks into a jab.
Drago connects with a crisp jab.
Drago slips a straight right by Fuego.
Drago tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Fuego cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fuego is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Drago tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fuego swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drago looks for a takedown but Fuego sprawls well.
Fuego moves in looking to clinch but Drago pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fuego keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Drago fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Fuego scores with a sloppy right hand. Drago should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuego misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fuego misses with a jab, cross combination.

Drago forces Fuego back against the cage and clinches.
A left hand lands to the body for Drago.
Drago keeps control of Fuego as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Drago manages to pull guard.
Fuego has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Drago is proving hard to escape from.
Drago is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fuego wanted to stand there but Drago had control of the position.
Fuego working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Drago has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Drago throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Drago looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fuego wants to stand but Drago has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Drago doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Fuego counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dante Fuego has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Drago.
Drago misses with a shot to the body
and Fuego counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A punch lands to the side of Drago 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Drago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fuego circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Drago looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Fuego forces Drago back against the cage and clinches.
Drago is pressed up against the cage. Fuego has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Drago down to the mat. Drago avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Drago keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drago has his takedown stuffed
enabling Fuego to counter with a crisp jab.
Fuego scores with a one two! Drago had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Drago wants to clinch.
Fuego is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Drago scores with a head kick.
Drago is looking to land body kicks.
Fuego keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Drago tries to clinch up but Fuego circles away and keeps his distance.
Drago has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Nice takedown defense from Fuego. No joy for Drago on that attempt.
Drago scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Drago misses with a looping left.
Drago will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Fuego pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Drago looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Drago shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fuego pinned against the cage. Fuego gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Drago with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fuego counters with a series of strikes. Drago will be more careful next time no doubt.
Fuego scores with the left hand. Drago knows he should have avoided that one.
Drago fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jab, jab by Fuego - just one landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drago shoots in and drives through. Fuego sprawls well.
Drago gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Fuego counters with a series of strikes. Drago will be more careful next time no doubt.
Drago tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Fuego showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Fuego 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Fuego!