PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alphons Draclau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Knuckle Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stone has chosen Gimme Shelter as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Draclau
vs
Stone

168 cm
36
143 lbs
28 - 10 - 1

166 cm
36
147 lbs
27 - 20 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alphons Draclau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 20 - 2, fighting out of London, Knuckle Stone!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stone ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Draclau moves away.
No joy there for Stone, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Stone.
Stone connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Draclau gets a takedown into half guard.
Stone has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Draclau is working away from the top position though.
Draclau not landing any meaningful shots this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draclau is thwarting Stone's attempts to control the position.
Stone gets back to full guard.
Stone told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Stone wants to sweep here but Draclau controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draclau working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Draclau from controlling successfully.
Stone tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stone preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone keeping full guard, as Draclau tries to pass.
Draclau trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Draclau trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Draclau moves out of range of the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Stone connects with a leg kick. Draclau looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Stone displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Draclau throws out the jab.
Stone wants to slow Draclau down by chopping away at his legs.
Jab from Draclau.
Draclau throws a sloppy head kick
and Stone counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Draclau tries to work over Stone's front leg with a kick but Stone checks it.
Draclau takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nice body kick there by Stone.
Stone throws a poor cross that misses
and Draclau counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Draclau cracks Stone with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Draclau scores with a jab.
Stone with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Draclau to score with a decent uppercut.
Draclau throws a hook to the side of Stone's head but Stone sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands a nice shot that snaps Draclau's head back.
A jab from Stone misses.
Stone smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A big right from Stone misses.
Stone comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Stone throws a right and a left that both miss.
Draclau throws a quick inside leg kick.
A jab from Draclau does it's job there.
Stone throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Stone lands a two punch combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stone chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Draclau rushes Stone and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draclau pushes Stone back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Draclau misses with a body punch.
Draclau blocks an uppercut.
Draclau scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Draclau.
A nice left hand lands by Draclau.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stone.
Draclau tries to stall but Stone uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Stone working aggressively here.
Stone struggles to land a body shot inside as Draclau controls his hands.
A shot in the inside from Stone.
Draclau goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stone prevents it.
Nice body punch from Stone.
Draclau blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Knuckle Stone will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Draclau.
Stone is looking to regain half guard here but Draclau keeps moving and retains side control.
Draclau tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Draclau is trying to get an arm triangle but Stone is defending well.
Draclau postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone struggling a bit here.
Draclau trying to control the position but Stone is working away.
Draclau has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draclau just content to control the position.

Draclau swings around for an armbar but Stone sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Draclau's guard.
Draclau not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Stone looking to sit in guard and control but Draclau gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Draclau stopping the sweep attempt from Stone.
Draclau trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
Stone wants to stand and escape but Draclau is having none of it.
Stone lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draclau is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Draclau looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Draclau not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Draclau sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Draclau is looking to advance position but Stone won't allow it.
Stone is doing well to control the position and prevent Draclau from advancing to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draclau looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stone is looking to control Draclau's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stone avoid being mounted?
Draclau sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Draclau prevents Stone from improving his position.
Draclau tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Stone is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stone trying to control but Draclau postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Stone slips a straight right by Draclau.

Draclau dives in and scores a takedown into Stone's guard.
Stone is trying to keep Draclau in close.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stone keeping moving, preventing Draclau from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alphons Draclau dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Stone takes a jab right on the kisser.
Stone lands a nice looking kick to the body. Draclau takes a step back to recover.
Draclau shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Draclau looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A low kick from Draclau is predictable there
and Stone counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Draclau tries for a takedown but Stone sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Stone swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Draclau chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stone can pounce on him.
Draclau wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone avoids a kick to the body.
Draclau moves out of range as Stone strikes.
Draclau dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Stone feints a jab promting Draclau to slip. Stone then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Draclau slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Alphons Draclau seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stone misses with a hook. Draclau ducked under it nicely.
Draclau feints and then cracks Stone's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stone down.
Draclau just misses with a punch to the body.
Draclau bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Stone's head backwards.
Draclau slips a jab from Stone.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draclau closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stone circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphons Draclau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stone waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Draclau.
Stone throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Draclau counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stone won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Draclau is working Stone over with some ground and pound from side control.
Draclau trying to control the position but Stone is working away.
Stone is trying to improve his position.
Draclau trying to control the action but Stone is working from the bottom.
I wouldn't like to be where Stone is right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Draclau off and has taken his back!
I really don't envy Draclau right now.
Will Stone go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Stone keeps control of the position as Draclau tries to break free.
Draclau is keeping busy.
I would not like to be Draclau right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone keeps control of the position as Draclau tries to break free.
Draclau is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Stone's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Stone controlling well, preventing Draclau from escaping the position.
Stone is not going to allow Draclau to sit and survive in this position.
Draclau is really stuck here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Knuckle Stone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stone 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Knuckle Stone!
An out of breath Knuckle Stone thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.