PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tony Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Veli Selil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Drake
vs
Selil

171 cm
20
176 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
19
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Veli Selil!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake with a poor takedown
and Selil counters with a one-two to the body.

Selil drives through with a takedown into Drake's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Selil is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Selil postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Selil postures up in Drake's guard and throws a big left but Drake blocks it.
Selil preventing the sweep.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Selil working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Drake pulls Selil in close to his closed guard and prevents Selil from doing any damage or advancing position.
Drake is breathing heavily.
Drake has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Selil accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Selil with a flurry of punches that miss.
Drake avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Selil.
Selil is looking to stand up but Drake won't let him.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Selil from controlling successfully.
Drake on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Drake tries to get out of the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Selil moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Selil misses with a two punch combination.
Drake tries for a takedown but Selil circles away easily

and Selil counters with a shoot takedown. Drake fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Selil drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Selil jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Selil drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Drake manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Selil has Drake in his guard.
Selil is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake stands up over Selil, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Selil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Drake.
Drake definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Drake stops Selil from standing up.
Selil has his hands on Drake's head, controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Selil wants to stand and escape but Drake is having none of it.
Drake lands a couple of digs.
Selil has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Drake accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Drake throws an elbow but Selil slips to the side and avoids it well.
Drake working the head with strikes.
Selil is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Drake working the head with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Drake lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Drake working the body and head with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Drake prevents Selil from escaping the position.
Drake wants to control but Selil is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Veli Selil will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Selil keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Drake dives in for a single leg takedown but Selil sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Drake gets underhooks to prevent Selil's takedown attempt.
Selil has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Drake is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Drake has clasped his hands together around Selil's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Check out the look on Drake's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Drake working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Drake scoring with punches from side control.
Selil is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Drake's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Selil is trying to stand back up but Drake is controlling him
Selil is looking to control Drake's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Selil avoid being mounted?
Selil is trying to stand.

Selil has one foot on Drake's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
A combination from Selil does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drake scores with a takedown into Selil's guard.
Selil has momentary wrist control but Drake slips an elbow through the middle.
Selil wants to stand but Drake is controlling the position.
Drake works over Selil with some ground and pound from guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Selil avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Drake stops Selil from standing up.
Drake makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Drake is working Selil over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Drake prevents Selil from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake stops Selil from standing up.
Drake landing some decent shots from guard.
Tony Drake overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drake prevents Selil from getting back to his feet.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Selil is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Selil wants to stand but Drake is controlling the position.
Drake makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Drake chips away with some ground and pound.
Selil looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Selil is looking to stand up but Drake isn't so interested in that idea.
Drake distracts Selil with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Selil looking to control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Drake working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Drake working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Drake dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Drake looking to score a takedown here. Selil is defending well but Drake drives through and ends up in Selil's guard.
Selil is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Selil preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Drake working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Selil's head.
Selil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Drake.
Selil is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Selil trying to control the position here.
Drake content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake stands up over Selil, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Drake throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Selil works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drake won't allow Selil to get back to his feet.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Drake throwing strikes from guard but Selil blocks nicely.
Drake working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Selil's head.
Selil wants to get back to his feet but Drake is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Drake working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Selil wants to stand but Drake is controlling the position.
Drake working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Selil 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.
Selil trying to control the position.
Selil is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Drake is controlling him.
Selil avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Drake postures up and lands a big shot to Selil's brow.
Selil wants to stand but Drake is controlling the position.
Selil keeping full guard, as Drake tries to pass.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Drake is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake throwing strikes from guard but Selil blocks nicely.
Drake with a flurry of punches that miss.

Selil pushes Drake off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Drake enables Selil to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Drake manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Selil trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drake keeping full guard, as Selil tries to pass.
Selil throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake pulls Selil in close to prevent any damage.
Selil preventing the sweep.

Selil gets to his feet - Drake follows without any prompting.
Selil throws a one two combo.
Selil throws a nice looking combination but Drake bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Drake is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Selil's half guard.

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 Tony Drake.
I think Drake 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

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