PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fury Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Pichushkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Drake
vs
Pichushkin

178 cm
23
190 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

195 cm
20
182 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Soul Supremacy Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Fury Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexander Pichushkin!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Paul Tew and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pichushkin checks the leg kick.
We've been hearing reports that Drake has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Pichushkin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Drake throws the left hand but Pichushkin avoids the punch easily.
Drake has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Drake there as he acknowledges the shot.
Drake doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Drake fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pichushkin smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Pichushkin looks to land a combination. Drake sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pichushkin lands a jab.
Pichushkin lands with a right hand.

Drake clinches with his opponent.
Drake tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pichushkin's elbow.
Drake scores with a shoulder strike.
Pichushkin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pichushkin is pressed up against the cage. Drake has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pichushkin down to the mat. Pichushkin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pichushkin connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Drake showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pichushkin.
Pichushkin keeps the fight on the outside.

Drake instigates a clinch.
Pichushkin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Drake prevents a body shot from Pichushkin.
Pichushkin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Drake's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Pichushkin.
Drake can't find room to land a body shot as Pichushkin controls the action.
Pichushkin 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.
Pichushkin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Drake has picked Pichushkin up - he's going for a ride! Drake dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Pichushkin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pichushkin.
Pichushkin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Pichushkin is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Drake defends well.
Drake missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pichushkin is looking to stand up but Drake isn't so interested in that idea.

Pichushkin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Drake defends it easily.
Drake is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Drake might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Drake stands up from Pichushkin's guard - Drake perhaps looking for a knockout.
A punch combination from Pichushkin misses.
Pichushkin takes a swing at Drake's ribcage but misses.
Sloppy strikes from Pichushkin. Those never looked like landing.

Drake fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pichushkin sprawls well initially but Drake persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Drake trying to mount his opponent but Pichushkin defends it.

Pichushkin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Drake is looking to take a break and control but Pichushkin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pichushkin tries to get to full guard but Drake has control of the leg.
Drake trying to control the action but Pichushkin is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Drake wants to pass to mount but Pichushkin is defending the position.
Pichushkin is trying to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fury Drake wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Drake takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Alexander Pichushkin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Drake lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

It looks like Alexander Pichushkin has been cut.
Pichushkin checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Drake thows a left - swing and a miss!
Pichushkin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Pichushkin is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch but Pichushkin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Drake throws a right and a left that both miss.
Drake dodges the punch combination from Pichushkin.
Pichushkin fails to land with a series of punches.
Pichushkin cracks a nice hook into Drake's ribs.
Drake takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Drake uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pichushkin.
Pichushkin keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Drake checks a leg kick.
Drake scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Drake pushes Pichushkin up against the cage in a clinch.
Pichushkin pushes Drake back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Pichushkin with a knee to the head.
Drake lands a right hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Drake escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pichushkin keeps the fight on the outside.
Pichushkin slips a jab and a cross from Drake.
Drake throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Pichushkin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Pichushkin's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Drake takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Pichushkin throws a right hand that Drake ducks under and follows up with a left that Drake also avoids with ease.
Pichushkin lands with a good body shot.
Drake feints and then cracks Pichushkin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Pichushkin down.
No joy there for Pichushkin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pichushkin throws a body shot but no joy.
Drake swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pichushkin!
Pichushkin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Drake looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Drake walks into a stiff left hand from Pichushkin.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Pichushkin. Drake does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pichushkin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Alexander Pichushkin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Drake cracks the inside of Pichushkin's front leg.
Pichushkin checks the leg kick nicely there.
Pichushkin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Drake moves away.
Pichushkin slips a jab from Drake.
Drake throws a series of punches but Pichushkin moves out of range.
Pichushkin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Drake was well out of range. Poor timing from Pichushkin.
Pichushkin cracks a nice hook into Drake's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake tries to clinch but Pichushkin moves out of range.
Pichushkin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Drake looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Drake takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pichushkin darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Pichushkin scores with a jab to the body.

Drake dives in and scores a takedown into Pichushkin's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drake postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Pichushkin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pichushkin pulls Drake in to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Drake accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Drake wants to control from the top but Pichushkin keeps moving.
Drake is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pichushkin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pichushkin is looking to stand up but Drake isn't so interested in that idea.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Drake postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Drake stands up and waves to Pichushkin to follow him.
Drake does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Pichushkin misses with a body shot.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pichushkin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drake keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pichushkin.
No joy there for Pichushkin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pichushkin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Drake moves out of range of the strikes.

Drake has closed the distance and engaged Pichushkin in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Drake blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Drake's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pichushkin connects with a looping right hand.
Drake tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Pichushkin scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Pichushkin is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Drake rather than just go for the knockout.
Pichushkin gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Drake misses with a hook. Pichushkin ducked under it nicely.
The fighters circling - Pichushkin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pichushkin looks to land a combination but Drake avoids it well.
Some wild striking there from Drake.
Pichushkin misses with a body shot.
Drake takes a swing at Pichushkin's ribcage but misses.
No joy there for Drake, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pichushkin stalks Drake and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Drake's face. Drake staggers backwards, shaken.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Drake takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pichushkin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Drake.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Drake.
Drake misses with a jab, cross combination.
Drake takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Fury Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pichushkin. Drake does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pichushkin throws a body shot but no joy.
Drake missing with a left hand there. Pichushkin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pichushkin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Drake turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Pichushkin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Drake.
Pichushkin lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Drake at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Drake tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pichushkin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pichushkin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Drake throws a jab but it's blocked by Pichushkin.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Drake.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pichushkin throws a one two combo.
Pichushkin lands a head shot.
Drake throws a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Pichushkin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alexander Pichushkin's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Drake misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A big right from Drake misses.
Pichushkin avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Pichushkin scores with a jab to the jaw.
Drake swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pichushkin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Drake looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Pichushkin scores with a jab.
Pichushkin jabs at Drake's body.
Drake tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Pichushkin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Pichushkin scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fury Drake is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab by Drake.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pichushkin tests Drake's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Pichushkin misses with a body shot.
Pichushkin misses with a body shot.
Drake throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake checks the leg kick.
Pichushkin has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Drake throws a low kick but Pichushkin moves out of range easily.
Pichushkin connects with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Pichushkin drops Drake with a beautiful combination! Drake stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Pichushkin is looking for the KO!

Drake is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pichushkin drops Drake with a huge uppercut! Drake drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Pichushkin is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:16 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alexander Pichushkin!
During a confident post fight interview, Alexander Pichushkin thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.